


Revolving Doors

by lemonoodle (orphan_account)



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Complicated Relationships, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 17:39:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10926783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/lemonoodle
Summary: With the two of them living across the hall, it's hard for 2D and Noodle not to be involved in each other's lives. However, this close friendship may turn into something else. (Phase 4).





	1. The Window

**Author's Note:**

> my very first fanfic. i began writing as soon as i requested an invite. p.s. i've never tried writing any kind fiction/stories; most of my writing is usually in an essay format for school, news, etc. and i personally think i'm a much better expository writer. that being said, a lot of what i write has been influenced by books i've read- both in framework and ideas. i've read a lot of 2nu stories (even though there isn't much) and i've noticed that noodle sometimes comes across weaker than most would imagine. i hope to keep the characters real, although some of my knowledge on all the backstories, etc. may be a bit foggy. also, i've noticed that some people add songs to listen to while reading (they won't always be gorillaz songs) so... Chapter 1 song: "Runaway" by the bird and the bee. enjoy and comment!

Based off of a Skype with Noodle: “I’m like the big sister of the group. I comfort 2D when he has a bad dream, Murdoc when he has a bad trip, and I calm Russel down when he gets paranoid about the world’s problems.”

 PERIOD: PHASE 4

LOCATION OF HOUSING: CURRENTLY UNKOWN

 “Yes!” Noodle quickly jotted down the final star coordinate into her logbook. Smiling with delight, she reviewed her work, revealing various celestial bodies that she had been plotting over the course of a few weeks. And now she had finally finished her extensive project. She looked one last time through her telescope, gazing at the many stars swimming in a sea of darkness. Then, she moved the scope to the side and curled up close to her window.

 Perched inches away from the glass while laying her head down on her arms and looking up toward the massive black, but exquisitely illuminated sky, she watched in awe as the world around her seemed to spin endlessly. She could feel her chest clench with overwhelming admiration for the sky above, for the millions of light-years of emptiness and the every-once-in-a-million-light-years of glowing stars.

 Noodle had always felt as though a part of her wasn’t meant for this world, that maybe a part of her wasn’t even _from_ this world. Her constant wonder for things not associated with tweets, selfies, celebrities, attention, insignificant and dreary affairs, as well as the glorification of self-interest and self-loathing, false happiness and articulated despair, was what made her feel distant from most others. Well, that or maybe the fact that she slayed demons and zombies on multiple occasions, something of which also isn’t very common throughout the populace.

 It didn’t matter what it was, Noodle just felt a little…different. That’s not to say that being different was a bad thing, in fact it’s a wonderful thing. It’s the natural flow of uniqueness and greatness among individuals that has produced some of the most influential movements throughout history. There’s never been a revolutionist of any kind that hasn’t ever been deemed as “different.”

 And Noodle was no exception. Built with multiple talents -rocking a guitar being a major one- she could conquer anything she set her heart and mind to. If she wanted to ditch her window and blast off in a rocket headed for the stars then, hell, nothing would stop her.

 Noodle thought all of this over, finally breaking her gaze with the mesmerizing sky. She knew she was different from other girls and other individuals. That’s not really what bothered her.

 What bothered her was the _feeling_ of difference.

 And that feeling of difference spurred from the undeniable truth that she wasn’t the type of girl you’d normally see jumping from guy to guy or even connecting with _one_ guy. Of course she’d been with men in the past, but it wasn’t something she found herself doing often, nor was it something she’d put at the top her “to-do” list. Part of her didn’t care, but the other part of her felt somewhat unfulfilled.

 She had never really made any kind of deep connection with someone. She’d met hundreds of wonderful people along her journey with Gorillaz, but had never felt a deep personal connection with another person.

 She glanced up at the stars once more and wondered if the stars ever felt the same- crowded among millions of others across a vast, never ending space, but yet alone, light years away from other stars whose light stretched millions of miles but never reached another. She looked down at her hands now.

  _I wonder if the guys have ever felt this way. I wonder if Murdoc’s ever connected with any of the hundreds of women he’s slept with or even seduced. Or Russ. I wonder if he’s ever been in love with someone as passionate and as kind as him._

 Then she turned to her doorway, which was right across from 2D’s. She watched his door for a while, looking past all the horror movie posters crumpled up on top of each other, and the various locks installed to keep Murdoc away.

  _I wonder if 2D can even have a connection, with all the blows that have gone to his head and all the screws missing from his brain. Has he ever loved anyone? He’s had to. He’s been with plenty of women, some of which who eventually fell for Murdoc’s psychotic sexual taunts. And that always hurt him. So if he’s felt the pains of losing someone then he must have felt the affection of having someone._

She nodded her head, admitting that this had to be true.

 But she couldn’t stop staring at his door. She stood up, letting her blanket fall to the floor as she glided over to her doorway, which was only a few feet across from his. She wasn’t wearing much except a long shirt that covered the loose shorts that she was wearing underneath. She stopped when she reached the edge of her room, before the hallway created a bridge to his room. She just looked at his door, curiously, just wondering what it was like to have a connection that she was sure 2D had certainly had at some point in his life.

 Suddenly, the many locks on his door began to rattle and bustle until the doorknob had turned and 2D began to emerge. Noodle quickly closed her door, careful not to make even the slightest noise, not that 2D would even hear, being so off guard due to the endless flow of booze and pills in his body. She leaned her back against her door and rolled her eyes up at the ceiling. _Ugh, what is wrong with you? You’re acting as creepy as Murdoc._ She scolded herself.

 Then, she turned her head so that her ear was close enough to hear a giggle just outside, only it wasn’t 2D, although his voice _is_ high enough. But no, it was definitely a woman’s giggle.

 She heard them both talking until Noodle could sense the woman retreat back into 2D’s room while he disappeared down the hall and into the kitchen downstairs. Carefully, Noodle crept out from behind her hiding spot and poked her head out of her room, looking both ways. She laid a palm on her face.

  _Pathetic. My love life is so dry that I’m feeding off of a black-eyed, blue-haired band mate. Just pathetic._ She shook her head again as she began to turn herself back towards her room.

 “Oi Noodz!” Noodle whipped around, wide-eyed to see 2D just a few feet down the hall from her, wearing nothing but jeans, which were somehow oddly put on backwards. _Wouldn’t you be able to tell?_ Noodle asked rhetorically.

 “Oh hey 2D,” she said casually, hoping he hadn’t caught her right outside his door.

 “Aye you got any clue where Murdoc’s kept any of ‘is condoms? I’ve seemed to have run out and I’ve got a girl in there waiting for me and I wouldn’t want to ruin her night… or mine for that matter.”

 “Oh actually I’m pretty sure he keeps them all piled into that hollowed-out gargoyle in the game room.” She was slightly shocked at herself for knowing this, but then remembered she knew about a lot of strange things that went on in the Gorillaz house, and shrugged it off.

 “Oh thanks, love. I sure owe you one. Oi, maybe I could interest you in all the gory details of my lay tonight once I grab these condoms and get going.”

 “Oh Stu, as enticing as that sounds, I think I’ll pass. You see, I’ve kind of got this weird thing against listening to the sex lives of my band mates.”

 “Well, I’ll fink of somefing, don’t you worry, love.”

 “Ok, 2D, I’ll be waiting here in my fun and exciting room of all things fun and exciting.” She laughed as she began moving back into her room.

 “Aye what you been doing in there up every night anyway? Plotting your next move on getting back at Murdoc for that incident under the bridge?”

 Oh yes, that.

 At a recent show, Noodle had gotten into a slight argument with the hardheaded and heavily wasted Murdoc. In retaliation for being bested in front of the rest of the band, Murdoc had locked Noodle into a closet and replaced her with cyborg Noodle. This of course only lasted for one song, as Noodle was easily able to escape just in enough time to snatch the cyborg off the stage, separate her head from the rest of her body, shove each piece into two separate crates and ship them off to an eBay buyer in Hawaii.

 Noodle had actually forgotten all about the whole incident up until now. After the show she had been so caught up in partying with Russ and 2D while Murdoc ditched them to bring a few fans back to his room. Besides the whole ordeal with the android and its psychotic creator, Noodle looked back on that night as one to remember surrounded by her best friends, Russ and 2D.

 “Oh I’m not too worried about that whole thing. When the time is right, I’ll be able to get him back.” She laughed. “But, no I’ve actually been working on this project on the side.”

 “Oh, like a new track. I’d love to hear it if its anything like-”

 “No, no. It’s not a song, its just something- it’s nothing really. Nothing that would really interest you or anyone really. It’s just- it’s just nothing.”

 “Noodz, you’ve been locked away in yo' room night after night with the light on for a good few weeks. It’s definitely somefing. Come on. Quit being ridiculous and jus let me take a look.”

 2D nudged the door open and held Noodle’s waist, pushing her forward to show him what all the fuss was about. Even though he was only touching her shirt and not actually touching her skin, she still felt his warmth circulate throughout her body, while at the same time, chills made her hair stick up. She felt ashamed and slightly embarrassed while she quietly scolded herself and forced herself to calm down- neither of which 2D noticed.

 Instead, he was completely ensnared in the hundreds of pictures and pages covered in dots and straight lines, floating about her room as he headed toward the window that she had just been looking out of. She stopped in the middle of her room as 2D turned himself- still gazing up at the hanging pictures- toward Noodle. His wide eyes and open mouth shifted into a smile that revealed his missing and completely ruined, yet somehow alluring, teeth.

 “Noodle! Why wouldn’t you share this with us? Why wouldn’t you share it wif _me_? You know that’s _my_ door right across from yours right? Wait. That _is_ my door innit?”

 “Yes, Stu,” Noodle giggled.

 “Yeah, thas what I thought. Then why didn’t you show me this before! This is incredible. It’s- it’s- well actually… What exactly in the bloody hell is this?”

 “It’s a collection of star constellations, other celestial body plots, pictures of planets and stars, _and_ I’ve even got a few shots of far-off galaxies that NASA personally delivered to me.”

 “Wow,” 2D turned around again to face the window. Noodle walked over until she was standing right next to him, leaving space between them.

 “Cool, right? I don’t even think I could count how many hours I’ve spent looking out this window, just watching the stars.”

 “It’s beautiful.”

 Noodle smiled and blinked slowly, lost in the sky once again.

 “Noodle?”

 “Yeah?”

 “Do you ever think that there could ever be other people far out somewhere else, standing together looking out a window in a room full of pictures of stars while also looking up at the stars?” He looked from the window to Noodle, studying her face, which was dimly lit by the sky outside. She looked just as pretty as the stars themselves. Then he looked back out the window. “Or do you fink we’re jus all alone in the universe? No aliens or none of that.”

 Noodle was slightly shocked at 2D’s question and turned to look at him before looking back out at the sky. “I don’t know. I like to think that maybe we’re not alone and we just feel alone because we can’t see what’s out there.”

 She turned toward 2D, smiling. He turned toward her now, returning the smile. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, 2D pulled Noodle into a one-arm hug and gave her a friendly peck on the cheek, the same way he used to when she was younger. She smiled as he squished her face with his gooey kiss then pulled away like a boy getting caught receiving a kiss from his mom. But she couldn’t resist her continuous smile.

 2D finally released her from his grasp and began walking back out of her room to retrieve the condoms and return to his woman who was probably pissed off and wondering where the hell he could be taking so long. But before he stepped out, he turned to look back at Noodle who had shifted slightly to watch him leave.

 “Oh, and Noodle?”

 “Yes, 2D?”

 “I think you’re right.”

 “About what exactly? I happen to be right about a lot of things,” she joked.

 “About not really being alone, just _feeling_ alone.”

 “Oh. Yeah.”

 “Well, night Noodz. See you in the morning. And get some sleep, would you?”

 “Goodnight 2D.”

 Then, he closed Noodle’s door, once again leaving her alone. He fetched the condoms and returned to a grouchy curvy chick waiting naked in his bed. He’d wondered why he even bothered at this point but still couldn’t resist the urge to jump in her pants. The rest of the night 2D spent wrestling naked with the dimwit miss, but he couldn’t seem to get his mind off of Noodle and the glorious pictures of stars that circled her room, but he also couldn’t get his mind off of what Noodle said about being alone.

 …

 The next morning, the guitarist was up and in the main room looking over some prints spread out across the table. 2D had just woken up and was wearing nothing but his jeans, except this time they were actually turned the right way.

 “Oh hey Noodle! What’s up! Aye did you see a blonde chick this morning? At least I think she was blonde. Either way, did you see a girl this morning who wasn’t you or anyone else that lives in this house?”

 “Don’t worry 2D. She’s up and out, carrying her heels and possibly even a bit of stolen cash with her.”

 2D rubbed his face. His eyes were still slightly shut and his head was spinning. He groaned.

 “Oh, well, I guess thas good. Wouldn’t really want her hanging around too long anyway. Whatchu got going on there? More pictures of stars? That actually happened last night, right? I didn’t make any of that up about roaming into your room and being attacked by hundreds of photos and drawings of the sky.”

 “Well I wouldn’t say you were attacked necessarily but yes, all of that did happen last night.”

 “Oh good. So anyway, what’s all this then?” 2D walked over to her side of the table and saw all the various pictures of Noodle from various photo-shoots. There was even the occasional picture of a featured artist smiling right next to the guitarist herself.

 “Yeah, as you can tell I’m kind of sorting through all these photos. I would kinda like to store them in my photo album. Ya know, just to keep the memories, but” she sighed. “I don’t really have enough room to keep all of them. Some of them I’ll just have to save digitally to my laptop, which is fine it’s just…I like looking at actual photographs more than a computer screen- feels more real.”

 2D understood and scanned the table, looking at all the adorable and sometimes goofy pictures of Noodle. Some of them, he had to admit, were even quite intriguing. He couldn’t deny the fact that Noodle had definitely grown up into a beautiful woman. No one could.

 “I remember this one,” 2D pointed out.

 It was the Cracked magazine photo. Russ and Murdoc were wearing dark leather jackets while 2D and Noodle were in between them, wearing more beach-y clothes: 2D was shirtless (as usual) while Noodle was wearing a bikini top with a hip Japanese print. She was hugging 2D and Russel, while being caught giving Murdoc a pissed off look. She was upset that the magazine had decided to use _that_ picture. She would’ve much rather the magazine use one _without_ Murdoc.

 “Yeah. That day was pretty hectic but at least it ended well,” Noodle said as she recalled that after the shoot, the four of them went for ice cream and drinks. She also recalls how Murdoc got into a fight with a dog on the street. Her and 2D sat on the curb, watching while licking their cones and rooting for the dog. Russel, on the other hand, was actually trying to pull the hairy beast off of the horribly losing Murdoc.

 “Well, see now, look at this one.” 2D picked up the photo of Noodle riding a jaguar for her Jaguar Racing campaign. She looked totally badass but insanely wild and wildly insane. “I’m keeping this.”

 “Oh no! Put that back, 2D! Here! Put it back!” She reached for the photo that 2D was waving around with his extremely long arms.

 “Oh I don’t think so, Miss Noodle!” He laughed and pretended to be Noodle riding the Jaguar as he sat down and leaned out of his chair.

 “Oh come on, Toochi!” She started laughing, but tried to remain serious as to intimidate 2D into giving the photo back.

 “Don’t even, Noodz! I know you’re not as tough as you fink! I can see you smiling, you old wanker! You can’t pull nuffing over on me!” He pulled the photo further away from her reach as he stood up to make sure there was almost no chance of her getting the picture back.

 “Toochi! Ugh!” She had now jumped up on his back and tried to reach for the photo, but his long ass arms still made it too far for her.

 “Oh look now you’re riding _me_! Seems like I’m the jaguar now!” He laughed uncontrollably until he fell to the floor, dragging Noodle down on top of him. Now she had him. She sat on top of a laughing 2D and forced his hands down on the floor above him. Then, she grabbed the photo and waved it in the air victoriously.

 “Aha!” She exclaimed. But her rejoice was quickly interrupted as 2D sat up and began tickling her, causing her to duck her arms and bring the picture right into 2D’s reach. He grabbed the photo once more and held it in the air. She leaned in close to 2D, still straining to reach the photo, their faces only a few awkward inches apart. Then, she did the same thing to 2D that he did to her. She tickled his stomach and his arms came falling down, allowing her to quickly snatch the photo and hastily stand up from 2D’s lap as he laughed wildly.

“Don’t think you’re going to be holding on to that for very long!” and he quickly got up and started toward Noodle.

 “Eep!” Noodle let out a short yelp while smiling and laughing loudly before 2D came from behind and snatched her up off the ground. He held her tight as her shirt began to rise up a little more than she would’ve preferred. She kicked her legs while 2D transferred all her weight to his one arm to use to other to reach for the photo. He almost had it; he was only a short distance away from, once again, making the photo his.

 Then, suddenly, the fun was interrupted by a hellish voice.

 “Oh what in the bloody hell is goin' on in ‘er?! Can’t we have one morning of peace and quiet so I can deal with this god-damned hangover! Jesus Satan’s dick!” scolded Murdoc.

 Noodle quickly nudged her way out of 2D’s grasp and took the picture back to her covered table, and sat down. She rapidly fixed her outfit and hair, straightened her face, glanced shortly at 2D and looked back down at her jumble of photos. 2D, on the other hand, just stood there awkwardly looking at Noodle before meeting Murdoc’s eyes.

 “We was jus lookin at some pictures of Noodle and the gang. This one’s real funny, innit?” He picked up the jaguar photo and held it up for Murdoc. Murdoc growled and turned back to head toward his room. Once he was out of sight, 2D looked over at Noodle with a cheerful smile but she never lifted her head so much as even to look his way. His smile faded.

 However, he still had the photo in his hand as he started to walk out of the room, taunting Noodle who was trying to avoid paying attention. He was finally at the edge of the doorway when he took one last look at Noodle, who wasn’t going to even try to get the picture back, and scurried upstairs back to his room. Once he was gone, Noodle finally lifted her head and looked up to where 2D had left and let out a sigh before turning her head back down to the photos.

 …

  _Maybe that was a little weird._

2D thought.

  _And it was definitely weird when that green monster walked in. Yeah. Maybe it was a little weird either way though. But she was laughing. She was ‘aving fun… at least I thought she was. I ‘ad fun. I ‘ad a good laugh too!_

 2D chuckled to himself, remembering Noodle struggle to reach the photo while on top of him.

  _She was so light too, like that fur-ball, Katsu, just resting on your stomach. But yeah. Still. Maybe a little weird. A little awkward. I mean, the only time a girl is really ever on top of me like that is when I’m balls deep inside her._

2D shook his head.

  _What the hell? Who finks stuff like that? Ugh get a hold of yourself, you creep. I definitely made it weird now. Ugh._

2D rubbed his eyes and sat up in his bed. He looked toward his keyboard, which was tossed on the ground beneath dirty laundry and used condoms. He shuffled through the muck and grabbed his keyboard. Laying on his bed, he began playing to the tune of _Momentz_. It was a little too silly for his taste at the moment (get it?) so he started playing _On Melancholy Hill._ Then, he began to sing along.

  _Well you can’t get what you want_

_But you can get me_

_So let’s set out to sea_

_‘Cause you are my medicine_

_When you’re close to me_

_When you’re close to me_

He continued to play right into _DARE:_ a song he didn’t even write and didn’t really even perform either- a song that was still one of his favorites that Gorillaz had ever produced. Then, he heard Noodle walk by his door. He quickly sprung off his bed and whipped open his door, but Noodle had already shut hers behind her.

 …

  _Oh my god! That was so unbelievably embarrassing._

Noodle shut the door and leaned her back against it as she lifted her head toward the ceiling and scrunched up her face.

  _I mean, what was I even thinking in the first place?! Being on top of 2D like that is unlike me! I mean, it was fine when I was like 10, but I’m now well into my twenties. That was so wrong! We’re in the same band. We work together! We live together! I won’t be able to really avoid him after this. Ugh… I hope this doesn’t make things super awkward now._

Noodle closed her eyes and replayed the scene in her head, each time cringing but also refusing to stop thinking about it. She sighed.

  _I hate that it happened, but it happened. What’s done is done. I just won’t ever do it again._

But Noodle kept thinking about it over and over: sitting on top of 2D, laughing with him, being tickled by him, being held by him.

  _Even though it was all just harmless, but stupid, fun, it was kind of nice. It was just kinda nice to be held by someone and to be so close to someone._

Noodle had been close to 2D before. And she’d definitely been touched, hugged, and for god’s sake kissed by him before. He was like a best friend though. He was like family. But now it seemed different. It was almost as though she hoped it would happen again. Although, she wouldn’t want to get caught again. But really, all it was was just a little goofing off and messing around. They’d done that plenty of times before, but it was just different this time.

 And that’s what Noodle hated: feeling different. She’d always felt different but this time it was on a whole new level of difference. She wanted to hang out with 2D again and things not be awkward. If that meant no more horsing around like today then fine, so be it. She just wanted things to go back to normal between her and 2D, like nothing had ever happened that morning.

 She was sitting on her bed now, looking over her pictures- not the pictures that had caused this whole awkward mess, but the pictures that were hanging from her room, covered with planetary systems and constellations. Suddenly, she heard something slide under her door.

 She walked over to the source of the sound and bent down to pick up the message. It was a small piece of paper with a sticky note on it.

 “ _Sorry if today was awkward. I thought you’d like this in return for helping me out the other night with the condoms. Thanks again, love.”_

Noodle blushed as she rolled her eyes, reading over 2D's scribbled handwriting.

  _“P.S. I’m still not giving back the photo.”_

Noodle let out a growl, but continued to smile. She removed the sticky note to reveal a photo of Noodle riding a cow instead of a jaguar, while flying over the moon, surrounded by numerous stars. Noodle giggled at the photo and walked toward her other hanging pictures. She took one of the clips and attached it to a string, while snapping 2D’s photo into the mouth of the clip. She smiled and jumped into bed.

 Meanwhile in 2D’s room, Noodle’s Jaguar Racing photo was pinned to a wall, next to his other photos from Gorillaz adventures, as well as a signed _Pulp Fiction_ poster from Bruce Willis.


	2. The Floor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The unspoken thing between 2D and Noodle intensifies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was already written, but I wanted to hold off on posting it because I've only just started writing the third and I'm revisiting it often, trying to figure out what works best for the plot. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and leave a comment! Chapter 2 Song: "Weapon" by The Boxer Rebellion

It had been a few days since 2D and Noodle had goofed off in the main room. Things between them- though they both claimed weren’t awkward- were awkward.

They hadn’t touched since.

Well, they would occasionally bump elbows but immediately apologize and increase the distance between them. For 2D, it seemed to be rather bothersome. He hated the fact that Noodle had completely refrained from any physical contact between them. And he hated how she seemed completely unfazed by it all. It was painful for someone like 2D: someone who needed the constant comfort from either a person or a pill, and frankly the pills had only been making things worse, making 2D feel even more distant and alone from Noodle.

Noodle, on the other hand, was still Noodle. She appeared to be completely normal and casual with the whole mess, pretending that the entire incident had never even happened. However, in reality, she may have been taking it worse than 2D.

Noodle often retreated to her room in her usual dance-y fashion, but as soon as she slipped inside and locked the door, she fell to her knees in emotional disaster.

_What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I still so worked up about something that happened days ago? Why can’t I get my mind off the whole thing?_

Noodle sat with her back against the door and head between her knees while she held her hair as though she might rip it out.

_It wasn’t even that big of a deal. We just messed around like always! So why can’t I stop thinking about it?_

Noodle wasn’t even a very lovey-dovey, romantically gooey individual at all. Yes, she was an extremely artistic and passionate woman, but never one to get too lost in the sad, sappy scene of romance. She was still on the floor curled up as tight as she could be with her head between her knees.

Then, she lifted her head and looked around her room, which was quite messier than usual and darker on account of all the photos, pages, and various tools, as well as the obvious covered windows. In fact, she had only covered her windows a few days ago.

Noodle decided to get some air before she lost her mind. She gathered herself up and walked out of her room only to run right into 2D.

“Sorry!” they both exclaimed.

“No, no its my bad, really,” apologized 2D.

“Don’t even worry about it. I was just heading outside for some air.”

“Oh. Oi, maybe later you wanna head into the studio to work on some remixes?”

“Um yeah, maybe. I don’t know. I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. See ya, Noodz.”

Noodle tried to spend as little time as possible around 2D. She tried to avoid eye contact and any other contact of any kind really.

She sauntered outside and sat on the steps. She pulled out a box of matches and began lighting them, watching the flame burn until it got almost too close to her fingers. She’d put them out and toss them, then pull out another. She did this until she had only a few left.

She lit what she decided was the last one and fell into a deep train of thought.

_Maybe I’m overreacting to this whole situation. Maybe I should just try to go back to actually acting normal around 2D._

Just then, the flame on the match burned Noodle.

“Ow! Damnit. Shit.” She dropped the match on the ground and put it out with her shoe while shaking out her hand.

“You alright, love?” 2D said from the top of the steps, startling Noodle.

“Yeah- yeah I’m fine,” she said slightly peeved at letting herself get burned.

“Well, why don’t we let ol’ Dr. 2D have a look see?”

“No really I-” And just then, 2D sat himself right next to Noodle, grabbing her hand. She flinched slightly but convinced herself to calm down. Then, he perked up.

“I’ve got jus the cure for this!” he said before running back inside to retrieve his cure. Noodle sat once again alone, shaking her head. _Calm down._ She reminded herself. _Just try to be normal. Well, as normal as someone like yourself can be._

“I’ve got it!” 2D returned. “One for you and one for me. Now we’re both cured!” 2D had handed over a beer to Noodle to cool off her burnt hand while 2D gulped his down.

The two of them sat together and watched the trees sway, while the clouds drifted and the sun beamed. They continued to sit in silence for a few minutes before 2D broke it.

“So,” he started. “What’s going on in there? It must be a lot more than what’s going on in ‘ere.” He pointed to her head and then to his.

“Nothing. I was just looking for somewhere to be alone to actually _clear_ my head.”

“Oh. Then I suppose you probably want me to leave then,” said 2D somewhat disappointed.

“No! No! I mean yes, I did want to be alone, but I’m alone almost all the time so a little company isn’t too bad.” She smiled and nudged him jokingly, laying her head on his shoulder.

2D smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

“You know,” he started hesitantly. “I’ve kinda been thinkin’ a lot about what happened the other day.”

“Oh god-”

“No, no! I’m not trying to make things weird err… weirder. I was just gonna say that I kinda feel bad, ya know? I’m sure having Murdoc walk in on that was a bit awkward. Although, I’m not sure he actually saw anythin’”

Noodle was silent.

“And, in my defense, we were kind of just horsing around like we always do so no harm really done if you ask me.”

Noodle turned toward him quizzically. “No harm? 2D, I don’t know if you’re aware but I’m a grown woman now, who probably shouldn’t be ‘horsing around’ like that with you anymore.”

2D was shocked at her sudden anger and felt a little dumbfounded.

“Well, shit sorry. I didn’t realize-“

Noodle released herself from his hold. “You didn’t realize I was older now and pulling shit like that was a little weird? Can you imagine how bad it would’ve been if Murdoc hadn’t been drunk off his arse?”

“Well, I don’t think I really _could_ imagine that because I can’t really recall a time when he wasn’t-“

“Toochi!” Noodle yelled.

“What? I don’t know what the big deal is! It’s not like I was going to slam you down and start fucking you right then and there- I would never do that with _you_. And even if I did, its not like it would be such a goddamn fuss. You said it yourself. You’re a ‘grown woman’ now.” 2D shook his head in frustration, turned away, and took another sip from his bottle.

Noodle was shocked at how quickly 2D had taken the conversation into such a dangerous direction. Part of her was angry that he would even say such a thing, but a very, very small, miniscule part was hurt that he admitted he would never do _that_ with her. It made her think that maybe no one would.

She dropped her angered face, almost as if his words had broken her down to an easily hurt child. She looked from him to the ground.

2D had finally noticed that he had gone too far and had offended Noodle. “I didn’ mean that, Noodz.”

She just sat in silence as her anger crept back up.

“Noodz,” 2D said again, this time putting a hand on her shoulder.

She quickly shook him off her and whirled around to face him, displaying the utmost angered and threatening face.

Shocked, 2D got the message and backed off.

“Well,” he started. “I best be gettin’ inside. Wouldn’t want Murdoc getting even more pissed off than usual since I didn’t really work on those new remixes,” explained 2D, trying to make up an excuse.

Noodle looked back at the ground and said nothing.

2D stood up, but before walking back inside, looked over at Noodle, regretting what he said. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. Then, he scurried back inside.

After 2D went inside, she looked back behind her for only a moment.

She took the last two matches and lit them at the same time, then laid them on the sidewalk and trotted back inside. The burning matches laid together until they had both gone out and their smoke danced in the air above.

…

 SLICE! WHOOSH!

 A blade was cutting through numerous dummies, sandbags, ancient jade sculptures, and even a thick, large wardrobe of wood.

“Meow!” Katsu cried in fear as Noodle continued to slice through everything in her room, though still consciously avoiding her hanging star project.

Noodle heard the creature’s cries. She immediately relaxed and turned toward her cat, which was hiding behind one of her many guitars. She lowered her Sai, feeling guilty for frightening such an innocent, helpless animal. Tossing the Sai aside on her mattress, Noodle glided over toward her pet, reaching a hand out in what seemed like a peace offering.

“Hey, it’s okay, Katsu. It’s okay. Don’t worry, my sweet Katsu, you’re all right. I got you. It’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’m right here, my sweet baby,” Noodle continued to coax her cat until she was out of her hiding spot and sniffing Noodle’s fingertips with her wet nose, unintentionally cooling Noodle’s previously burnt tips.

“That’s right,” Katsu was in the weapon-wielding guitarist’s lap now, purring softly and then gradually louder.

Noodle continued to pet her sweet, furry friend. Her mind wandered to the events earlier that day with 2D. She frowned and bit her lip.

_Maybe I lost my cool. 2D doesn’t mean what he says all the time, and he sure doesn’t remember it or even know how to say the right thing. Yeah. I was too hard on him, but he’s the one that brought it out, let’s not forget that! But…_

She turned over to look at her door, which was blocking her view of 2D’s.

_I blew up at him when I shouldn’t have. He gets it hard enough for not processing things correctly. I’m the only one who doesn’t bash his scull or slap his neck when he screws up his words or his thoughts. He needed me to understand and I just yelled at him the way Murdoc does. Damn… am I becoming Murdoc?_

She shook her head in total disbelief, almost laughing out loud at her ridiculous question. She noticed that she was smiling and sighed. She lifted her cat out of her lap and onto her pillow.

Noodz walked over to her closet and opened it, revealing a much older guitar. She grabbed it and walked back over to her bed, leaning on her wall and mindlessly strumming as her cat slept next to her.

She noticed a sudden light protrude from the hallway into her room. She crouched down as if trying to avoid being seen even though her door was closed… and locked. She almost yelped when shadows cascaded through and reached the edge of her bed. Noodle: could easily slay demons, but jumped when a harmless shadow found its way in under her door.

She crawled over to her door now, guitar still in hand, until she was close enough to fall right through the wall.

She bent down and looked underneath, in hopes of being able to catch a glimpse into 2D’s room. Realizing it was unlikely, she turned over onto her back and began strumming again. This time she was playing along to the catchy tune of _The Sounder_ from one of their older albums and time when Noodle didn’t have to deal with the problems with being a grown woman, susceptible to… _feelings_.

She remained playing loosely like this for hours until she fell asleep with the dim light from the hallway shining a slim line on her face.

…

“Fuck!”

Noodle sprang up from where she’d fallen asleep, alerted by the sudden exclamation from across the hall along with the loud thud that accompanied it. She wiped off the saliva and tears that had accumulated on her face from when she’d been laying on her side, straining to keep her dry eyes open until they reflexively watered.

She quickly opened her door and then crossed the bridge between her room and 2D’s, whooshing open his surprisingly unlocked door.

“2D, are you all right?” she asked, slightly panicked. It didn’t matter what had happened earlier, she still had to be there for him. And besides, she had come to terms with the whole thing. “I heard you shout and so I thought I’d check up on you. 2D?”

She squinted to look around his room, but it became clear that he wasn’t in his bed. The covers had been pulled off to one side. She circled around to the other side of his bed, maneuvering around piles of garbage and dirty laundry, almost tripping over his doncamatic.

“Toochi!” She found him on the floor, propped up against the side of his bed, curled up into a ball with his eyes wide open, facing a small open window. She rushed to his side to comfort him.

“Toochi, what are you doing down here on the floor? Are you okay? Did you have another bad dream?” She softly laid her left hand on his shoulder and laid the other on his bare knee. He flinched as though he had just awoken from a coma before turning blankly toward Noodle. She eyed him with an obvious look of worry draped over her face.

“Noodle” was all 2D could manage to say.

“Yes, 2D. I’m here. You’re okay.”

“Noodle, I’m sorry for what I said. Please don’t be mad at me. I need you. I-I can’t fall asleep. You can’t let me fall asleep again, Noodle. You can’t let me fall back asleep or that whale will get me. I can’t go back to sleep, Noodle, please. I’m sorry. I was bein’ stupid, but I need you.” 2D was frantic as not only his experience at Plastic Beach still haunted him, but also the thought of Noodle remaining upset with him.

“Oh, Stu.” She pulled him close into her chest and let him wrap his arms tightly around her while he buried his face close to her heart. “I’m not mad at you. I can’t stay mad at you.”

She brushed his blue hair with her fingers to ease his mind and reminded him over and over that she was right there and he was safe. She felt 2D relax slowly as he closed his eyes, feeling Noodle’s warm body against his as she laid her head on top of his.

For 2D, this was the most comfortable he had been all night. He held her close, not wanting her to let go, not wanting her to leave, not wanting to be alone again.

She smelled fresh and was kinder than most other women that 2D had ever held like this.

Well, he didn’t so much as _embrace_ other women like this; it was more like he was pinning them down or they were pinning him down as they rolled over each other, but never really hugged. At least not like the way he was hugging Noodle.

He hoped she wouldn’t ever leave his grasp.

But, to 2D’s dismay, she began to stand, grabbing 2D’s hand and leading him back into his bed.

He laid down on his side, facing Noodle as she focused her mind on pulling the covers back up toward him. Neither one of them spoke. He watched her switch into her big sister, motherly self.

She _really_ had grown up, probably more than the rest of them had- both physically and mentally. It was funny. She started out as a clueless, but energetic 10-year-old Japanese girl, delivered in a crate sent to their door. But somehow, over the course of many years, she had transformed into the most passionate, intelligent, badass musician and zombie slayer that this world had ever seen. She was independent, but still always loving to her band mates, Russel, 2D, and even Murdoc.

In that moment, 2D had come to fully realize this.

Noodle had pulled the sheets up to 2D’s chest before he stopped her and held her arm in his hand. She immediately looked at 2D, who was staring deeply at her- something rather odd for the brain-damaged bloke. She was somewhat shocked and confused, but fell too easily to a tingle that ran all throughout her veins and made her heart pound and her face feel warm. She wondered what was going on in his mind as he just continued to stare at her. She stared back into his empty, but somehow full, eyes.

2D sat up on his right arm, lifting him closer to the frozen Noodle. He began travelling his other hand up from her wrist toward her upper arm until he slid it across her shoulder and over her neck, where he held her face and ran his thumb across her cheek bone.

Noodle gently closed her eyes with his soft touch and opened them once again, noticing that she had at some point bent down closer to 2D, leaving them only a few particles apart. They both looked at each other as 2D moved his thumb so that it was brushing softly against her bottom lip. Noodle closed her eyes and her heart started beating even faster. She hoped he couldn’t hear it.

2D studied her eyes down to her lips, when he finally leaned in close, decreasing the amount of light shining between their two faces, and-

“2D,” she muttered, stopping him from potentially doing something they’d both regret.

He pulled back in curiosity, but also in realization of what he was doing.

“I’m sorry. I-I”

“No, it’s fine. I shouldn’t have led you on like that. I shouldn’t have thought _we_ could be together like _this_.” She shut her eyes and shook her head as she started to pull further away from 2D.

“Noodle.”

“No-no. I should go.” She started toward the door.

2D quickly shook off the covers and leapt out of bed to catch Noodle before she reached the door. “Noodle, wait.”

He had made it just in enough time to shut the door before she opened it any wider, while also turning her hips to spin her back toward him.

Lifting her chin, 2D looked into Noodle’s closed eyes, begging for her to open them. Noodle, on the other hand, refused to look at 2D, for she might end up falling for his charm again.

“Noodle, look, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. I wish I could take back that whole stupid mistake if it would stop you from thinking me some kind of creep across the hall.”

“Stu-“

“No, love, I swear I wasn’t thinking. You know me- I- I just screwed up. I thought there was just this little thing between us. I don’t really got a clue what it is, but I thought there was something going on. I mean, I was wrong, of course. I just made a _stupid_ mistake. I don’t want to make you upset again. I-”

“2D-“

“Noodz, I-“

“Toochi!” Noodle spoke up so that 2D would shut up.

He widened his eyes and silenced himself to hear what Noodle had to say.

“You weren’t wrong.”

And like that, the spark re-ignited. She was gliding her hands up his arms until they were around his neck.

2D, too lost to question what was going on, pushed himself closer to Noodle, once again shading the light glowing between them as his lips drew closer to hers. Then, like summer rain, he planted a soft kiss on her lips, washing away her doubts and cleansing them with bitter sweetness.

2D released Noodle after a moment to look into her eyes. She finally flipped her eyelids open to look at 2D as her breathing became more sporadic. He was looking inquisitively at Noodle, probably processing what just happened. She looked back at him with a face of relief and suppressed anticipation for another kiss. The two stared at each other for another moment, unsure of whether or not to continue, until 2D spoke up.

“Fuck it.”

And with that, he pulled Noodle in again, this time guiding the two of them over to his bed to help her on top of him. She quickly threw her legs over him, straddling him as he sat up to kiss Noodle, rougher this time, like he hadn’t kissed anyone in years. He now had both his hands on her waist and was ferociously feeling her warm skin as he slid beneath her shirt, only reaching as far as her belly button.

Noodle, on the other hand, had pushed herself as close to 2D as possible, her chest expanding and contracting against his. She wasn’t thinking about what was going on at all. All she could focus on was holding onto 2D as he sent lightning bolts all across her skin with every little touch, every little squeeze, every little kiss.

Her fingers were travelling all throughout his hair. She could taste cigarettes and booze, but was only ever left with the after taste of 2D. She continued to hold him tight as he travelled his mouth down to her neck, before ultimately returning back to her lips.

She shifted her hands from his neck to his chest, which drove 2D crazy. Well, crazier than usual. She continued to drape her hands lower and lower on his chest until she was holding onto the waist of his boxers.

2D retaliated by moving his greedy hands from her waist to her hips and then to her thighs. He squeezed her in hopes that it would bring him even closer to her.

There, the two of them were: touching, feeling, kissing, tasting, and wanting each other more and more. It may have felt like eternity, but they had each only been like this for less than half a minute.

Neither one of them were thinking… until Noodle’s brain caught up with her.

“No. Stop.” Noodle broke away from 2D’s kiss. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” And with that, Noodle pulled away and shook her head as she removed herself from 2D’s lap. He immediately obeyed and let her go, though he didn’t want to. She stood up and paced in small circles, rubbing her eyes and pulling her hair back to assess the situation. 2D only watched her move back and forth.

“I’m sorry,” he finally spoke up.

She sighed and looked at 2D.

“I- I should go now.”

“Noodle,” called 2D after her.

She turned back around.

“Please don’t go.” He looked down at his now empty hands. “I don’t think I could ever fall sleep if you left me alone.”

Noodle only looked at him and then she relaxed herself, gazing into his frightened and begging eyes. She felt bad leaving him. It would be like leaving an innocent animal to die alone on the road.

But, if she stayed with him then who knows what she would do, or what he would do. They couldn’t pretend that what just happened didn’t happen. She thought this over, thinking it dangerous to stay with him, but maybe that’s the reason why she wanted to stay after all. Maybe she wanted to do something a little dangerous, or maybe she just wanted to be there for 2D.

After a minute of thinking, she decided it would be best to stay with 2D, but she resolved to only stay for his well-being. She refused to give in to any temptation and any urge to spring back on top of him and start tearing into his skin.

“Okay,” she whispered.

She began to slowly inch back toward him.

She circled around to the other side of his bed, where she laid herself down on top of the covers next to him, flat on her back, making sure to leave plenty of space between them on account of what just happened. He too turned over onto his back. The both of them just sat in silence. Noodle watched the ceiling and caught sight of a gaping hole, which allowed the illumination and color of the stars to seep its way inside. It also explained the bucket full of water sitting in the middle of his room.

2D turned his head toward Noodle, still lying on his back.

“Hey Noodz?”

“Yeah, Toochi?” she replied, looking back over to a gazing 2D.

“Thanks for staying with me, love.”

She smiled a warm smile. “Good night, Toochi.”

And with that, 2D turned his back to Noodle and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Noodle turned to look back up at the hole in his ceiling.

_What the hell._

She thought to herself.

_What’s wrong with me? Why did I do that? Why did he do that? I never would have thought he would ever try, let alone want, to kiss me. Me._

She closed her eyes.

_But. Even though it was wrong, it didn’t feel that way. It felt kind of right. I mean, I finally felt like I wasn’t alone just floating among other people, among other lovers._

She thought about how it felt to let him kiss her, how it felt for him to put his bare hands on her bare skin. She played the memory over and over in her head.

_This can’t happen again. I can’t let this happen again._

Another flash of the memory ran across her brain again. And _again_.

_This can’t happen again._

And again. And the more the memory played in her brain, the more she felt herself relax until she was finally asleep and her voice of reason was silenced, overpowered by her unprecedented lust for 2D, and her hopes of being touched by him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that rollercoaster.


	3. The Roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noodle and 2D spend the entire day together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 song: "Honey Sweet" by Blossoms

The sun was beaming down in 2D’s room, seeing as how it fit perfectly in the giant hole in his ceiling.

2D rubbed his eyes and sat up, trying to gather his thoughts and awaken his body. Then, he looked over to where Noodle had fallen asleep next to him.

She was gone now, but he still felt like she was right there with him, like he could reach his hand out and touch her.

He began to recall what happened last night, but only remembered it in flashes. Either way, he knew what had occurred between him and Noodle, and, to be honest, didn’t exactly know how to feel about the whole thing.

After all, she was his band mate and only lived a few feet across from him, buried in a house occupied by two _other_ band mates.

_Shit._

It was all slowly beginning to come together in 2D’s brain.

_Oh god. I wonder if Noodle remembers anything. Of course she does. She’s not the one with two dents in ‘er head._

He looked over to his door, which was cracked open just enough so that a small mouse could sneak it’s way inside if it wanted to, which it most likely wouldn’t.

_I wonder how long she even stayed with me. She could’ve only stayed ‘til I fell asleep then ran off back into her room, as far away from me as possible._

The blue-haired man secretly hoped that she had stayed longer than a few moments after he fell asleep, but didn’t even want to admit it in the safety of his own mind.

He gathered himself up and out of his bed, threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and left his room to head toward the kitchen. But, before he could even begin to make his way down the hall, he ran into Noodle.

“Good morning, Toochi!” said Noodle in a rather cheerful tone.

“Uh, hey Noodz,” 2D replied cautiously.

After this rather brief exchange, the pair stood in an awkward silence that lasted a lengthy 4 seconds.

Noodle bit her lip and was about to speak until 2D interrupted.  
“Aye, um, sorry about last night. I know I probably cost you a few hours of sleep.”

“No, no! It’s fine. I’m always happy to be there for you.”

And with that, she laid a hand on his arm in a friendly, comforting way- nothing that should be taken as any sort of romantic advance. But, on account of recent events, 2D felt a sudden urge to ask her just _how_ many hours of sleep she lost, or more specifically, how long she had stayed with him. This terrible idea was, of course, and thankfully, halted by Noodle’s chipper goodbye as she skipped downstairs to join the others in the kitchen.

There, Russel and Murdoc were already residing. Russel was propped at the end of the table, reading a newspaper on the world’s latest issues, like an average American father, minus the trophy wife and dull job.

Murdoc, on the other hand, was leaning over the sink, probably completely hung-over. However, this didn’t stop him from completing his daily chore of preparing a hot cup of oolong tea for Noodle- something that he was grandfathered into after events occurring during and after El Manana.

Noodle had trotted over to the mug now, taking a sip before opening a cabinet of painkillers to feed to an aching Murdoc. She was about to put them away before Murdoc waved them back over to ingest an extra one, or two, for good measure. He handed the bottle back over and returned to burying his face in the sink, without making any noise except for the occasional mumble and grumble. Noodle patted his back comfortingly then snatched up her mug and took a spot at the table next to Russ.

“I mean I just can’t believe this. How can we let this shit happen? The world’s one messed up hellhole. _That’s_ for damn sure.”

Noodz only nodded her head and listened to Russ carry on about this bullshit and that fuckery. She admired his strong care for the world and its unresolved injustices. However, Russ was starting to get uncontrollably heated.

“Hey! Look at Garfield! That’s funny right? In fact-“ Noodle was treating him like a raging toddler now. “There’s an entire page full of comics! C’mon, you can read all about Trump tomorrow.”

Just then, Murdoc piped up. Recognizing her mistake, Noodle interrupted the oncoming storm.

“I said ‘Gump.’ Forest Gump. We were talking about a movie. Go back to wallowing in the sink.”

Murdoc, too foggy in the brain, and entirely shit-faced, decided it best not to start, and followed Noodle’s advice to continue staring into the sink.

Russel grumbled and looked toward Noodle, who was giving him an innocent and cheesy smile, something of which Russel couldn’t help but melt under. He relaxed and let out a chuckle.

“Fine. I’ll see what that grumpy ass cat is up to.”

Noodle smiled even wider and stood up to give Russ a tight hug, then grabbed a rice cake, her tea, and hopped out of the kitchen into the mini studio.

Just then, 2D walked in and was disappointed to see that Noodle was not present, only Russ and the depressingly abusive one.

“Oi! Mornin’ Russ. Mornin’ Murdoc.”

Russel only gave him a greeting nod, as he was surprisingly too interested in his comics to look away. Murdoc, on the other hand, didn’t give 2D any sort of ‘hello,’ not that 2D was really expecting one anyway.

As 2D approached the counter to toast a slice of bread and an English muffin that he found mixed into the bag of sliced bread, he looked over at Murdoc and couldn’t help himself from cackling.

“Seems like another night of drinks has left you, once again, a piece of shit wif your head in the drain.”

Russel let out a snort, choking on his black coffee, then quickly contained himself.

Murdoc, still with his head dipped between dirty plates and a dead eel, spoke up.

“Ya know, 2D I could easily grab one of these bloody pans and beat you upside the head with it. Might even give you another dent. Aye, that’ll be good for the press. ‘2D gone 3D’. Sounds good to me,” then Murdoc lifted his head to look at a stunned 2D. “How ‘bout you, mate?”

Instead of answering and potentially taking another unwanted beating, 2D scowled and grabbed his burnt toast and muffin to return to his room.

…

Noodle nibbled on her rice cake and sipped her tea as she played around on her laptop. Her feet were propped up on the large soundboard and her laptop was warming her legs.

She was reading an article on Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new book, _Astrophysics for People in a Hurry._ She finally decided in would be a good investment, and added the book to her digital library.

Rice cake gone and tea drained, Noodle found herself completely slouched in her chair, reading something about some woman making some major contribution to quantum physics- no big deal.

After a lengthy hour of reading, she closed her laptop, collected her empty mug and returned to the kitchen, where Russel and Murdoc were now in a much more energetic state, bustling about, throwing on coats and tying shoes, collecting printed works, car keys, wallets, a bottle of gin, a flask filled with vodka, a few bottles of beer, some other intoxicating items that aren’t worth mentioning, and duffel bags.

“Where are you all off to?” Noodle questioned as she stood still while the two of them passed by her from left to right, from one room to another, but always back through the kitchen.

“We’re heading to Chicago to play some tracks for the collaborators then we’ve got an interview in New York. Don’t worry. We’ll be back tomorrow… late.”

“Oh.” Noodle looked down at her socks as she wiggled her toes. She didn’t really like when the band wasn’t together. It just reminded her of the horrors of Plastic Beach, which seemed to have taken a toll on all of them.

“Hey don’t worry, baby girl,” Russel stopped to hold Noodle’s shoulders and give her an affectionate look. “It’s only a day. We’ll be back.”

“Or maybe we won’t. Maybe ‘ol Russ an’ I are escaping to make a new band, and leaving you and that dead-eyed idiot to fend for yourselves.”

Just then, the thought of being alone with 2D for so long crossed her mind.

“Yo man, the hell’s wrong witchu?” Russ said as he gave Murdoc a slap on the back of his head.

“Oi!” Murdoc didn’t say anything more, knowing that this was Russel he was dealing with, and not the easily manipulated 2D. He just rubbed the back of his head and gave Russ an angered glare, to which Russel was entirely unfazed by.

Noodle didn’t pay attention to any of this, of course. Her mind, rather, was stuck on the fact that she would be alone with 2D: the same person that she had recently been on top of, touching, straddling, kissing. She shook the image from her mind and returned to the reality in front of her, which was just Russel and Murdoc continuing to rush about.

“Alright, that’s everything,” said Russel, who looked over at the small Noodle.

He dropped his bags to give her a big hug, for which she returned, smiling.

“Aye, where’s my hug?” pretested Murdoc.

Noodle rolled her eyes then opened her arms to Murdoc, who was slightly shocked, but ultimately pleased.

He wrapped his arms around Noodle and gave her a big, wet kiss on her cheek, which caused Noodz to both push away and smile goofily.

They were on their way out the door when Noodle piped up.

“Don’t let him drive! I can still smell alcohol all over him!” She laughed and stood on her toes.

“Oh don’t worry about that. I was thinking of putting him in the trunk, anyway,” winked Russel.

And as he shut the door, Noodle could hear Murdoc say, “What!?”

She laughed until her laugh faded into silence. Her smile fell with it. She looked around and rubbed her arms, not quite knowing what to do with herself, all one. Well, all alone besides 2D.

Without any intention, really, Noodle retreated back to her room. This time, she left her door open.

She fell onto her bed and stared at her ceiling and all the slowly spinning pictures. Katsu was sleeping, per usual, on her pillow.

Noodle flipped over onto her stomach to pet the breathing creature, which caused the cat to let out a little strained, startled noise. Noodle continued to pet Katsu until she fell back asleep, purring softly. At this point, Noodle decided it would be best to change out of her pajamas into regular clothes, not that anyone would be really seeing her, other than 2D.

She pranced over to her drawer and pulled out a tight skirt and an off-shoulder thick t-shirt, which had the words ‘The future is female,’ plastered over it. She began to slip out of her extra large pj top, pulling the shirt over heard and onto the floor. She was left in only her underwear and practically see-through undershirt. Looking into her mirror, she pulled her back, reviewing her options as to how to style it.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her open door and the voice of 2D calling out her name. The door was slowly opening, as Noodle scurried to figure out what to do to avoid being caught in her underwear.

“Don’t come in!” she called, but it was too late. 2D had already pushed the door almost completely in and had a V.I.P. viewing of an almost naked Noodle.

“Oh shit!” he quickly shut the door with wide-eyes. “Sorry, Noodz. I guess I didn’ hear you. Your door was open so I-“ He turned back around to look at her door, waiting for Noodle to say something.

Just then, she pulled the door back open, this time fully clothed.

2D quickly turned so he wasn’t facing her.

“Don’t worry. I’m dressed now. You can look.”

2D turned back around carefully until he was looking straight at Noodle, though all he could see was the memory of her standing in her undergarments, with a face just as stunned as 2D’s.

“Sorry about that,” he finally said after a few more moments of stunned silence. “I was jus’ wondering where everyone had gone off to.”

“Oh.” Noodle’s face fell. “Yeah. They all left to meet up with collaborators in Chicago then do an interview in New York. They won’t be back until tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” She bit her lip.

Stu caught sight of this and almost lost his mind, or what was left of it. He blinked a storm and then cleared his throat.

“So what’r your plans then?”

“Well, I hadn’t really thought much about it. It’s hard to think of something when they’re not around. You guys are all usually enough to leave me busy for the day, but with two of you out of the picture…” she looked down at the floor.

2D’s mind quickly flashed an image of exactly what he wanted to do ‘with the two of them out of the picture’. He shook the thought away.

“Look, I know you hate it when they leave, but it sounds like you’ a lil upset to be stuck wif me,” he joked.

Noodle let out a laugh and looked up from the floor to meet 2D’s gaze. “You know I didn’t mean it like that!” She nudged his chest, which made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

“Well, if you can’t fink of anythin’ then you can always join me in the AV room. There’ll probably be watching some horror flick or playing a video game. I don’t know.” He rubbed his neck and acted cool as he glanced at Noodle, who he knew couldn’t resist joining him in watching films and playing games, which she always dominated.

She knew what he was doing and played along.

“I don’t know if you’d really _want_ me to join you. You might be upset after I win a few hundred rounds.”

“That, love, sounds like a challenge that I am quite interested in.”

Noodz gave him a sly smile and slid passed him with a kick in her step. “Well, then what are we waiting for?” She giggled and skipped away, with 2D trotting after her.

…

They had been playing for a good few hours. The only time they stopped was when 2D bested Noodle, at which she would retaliate by playfully attacking him, climbing on top of him, laughing, forgetting about whatever unspoken thing was between them.

When 2D was worn out from being destroyed, he pulled out a pack of smokes and watched Noodle play through an entire game of _Little Nightmares_ , which they both enjoyed.

At one point, 2D had even been laying his head in Noodle’s crisscrossed lap, still smoking and watching her fly through the eerie game.

When she finished _that_ , they both agreed it was time to unwind and watch _The Exorcist._

Noodle ate sushi as 2D found some cold pizza in the fridge. Then, the two of them popped popcorn and pulled out the liquor.

Halfway through the movie, the two of them were almost entirely wasted.

“Hey!” 2D announced. “We should go on the roof!”

“THAT IS A GREAT IDEA!” Noodle yelled back.

2D laughed and shushed her, putting his hand over her mouth. She giggled and hiccupped beneath his hand.

“Okay. C’mon, love, les go!” Then, in a single motion, he swooped Noodle off the ground and held her over his shoulder, carrying her outside. She laughed the whole time until they reached the edge of the house.

2D placed her back down on the ground and looked up at the ladder against the house.

 _‘Seems safe enough,’_ 2D thought.

“Well… ladies first,” he said, motioning a hand up toward the ladder.

Noodle scrunched up her face at 2D and started climbing.

2D followed behind her. He looked up for a brief moment and could see right under her skirt.

Not being able to control himself at the moment, his brain decided it was a good idea to let this be known to Noodle.

“Hey, look at that! I can see up your skirt!” he exclaimed.

She turned to look back down at him and pull a hand down over her skirt so he couldn’t see anymore.

“Oh c’mon, love! I’ll show you mine if it makes you feel any better!” He hiccupped.

They were halfway at this point.

“Toochi! You know I could easily kick you in the face right now and send you to your death, right?”

“Oh. Um, no. I actually hadn’ really thought abou’ that.” He paused for a moment. “Let’s push on then, shall we? Promise I won’ look anymore!”

Noodle turned back around and started climbing again.

They finally reached the top and walked carefully toward the middle of the roof. Noodle sat down and 2D joined her, getting close enough to the point where he was softly brushing up against her. The two of them sat together, looking up at the sky and skimming the vast space, taking notice of every star. 2D laid down now to get a better view. He patted the unoccupied space next to him, directing Noodle to join him, lying on the roof. She smiled at him and lay down, scooting closer to him. They both continued to watch the sky, as the effects of the booze seemed to be starting to wear off. They exchanged memories of their adventures with the band and laughed and joked. They both felt comfortable talking to each other, enjoying each other’s company, watching the sky and pointing out any shooting stars.

2D returned to his thought from when he awoke this morning.

“Hey, Noodz.”

“Hm?” She said, only half paying attention as she was too focused on studying the moon.

“Um. Last night, when you fell asleep with me, um, did you- how long did you stay?”

Noodle had now completely switched her focus to 2D, turning her head towards him, as he was already looking at her. She could tell he was desperate for an answer, though was very careful to hide it. She pondered the question, still looking into 2D’s dark eyes, trying to get a read on what he was thinking.

Finally, she turned back to look at the sky, deciding to avoid the question altogether. Disappointed, 2D’s eyes fell. He turned from her back to the open space. There, they laid in silence for a few minutes until 2D had an idea.

He sat up and looked down at Noodle. He smiled and spoke up.

“You wanna do somefing fun?”

…

It was dark and quiet back in the house.

2D led the way, holding Noodle’s hand behind him. They travelled through more halls than Noodle was aware even existed, until they arrived at their destination.

“Okay, don’t look yet. Actually-“ He placed her hands over her eyes. “There. Now, don’t peak!”

“Okay!” she responded, a little nervous of what was going to happen.

Just then, she could see colorful lights shining through her hands and could hear a beat starting. She removed her hands and looked around.

2D had taken her to some sort of dance room that Noodle wished she knew existed before. The dance floor flashed with changing colors- purple, then blue, then green, then various colors all at once, gleaming to the rhythm of the song. Hanging from the ceiling was an actual disco ball, which was shining all around the room, spinning and twirling so much that it almost made her dizzy. And at the other end of the room was 2D, who had his back turned away from her as he tapped his foot to the beat.

And the song? “Shake Your Groove Thing” by Peaches & Herb.

2D whipped around so he was facing Noodle. He looked over at her like she was just a girl standing alone on the dance floor, which she was. Somehow he had acquired sunglasses and lowered them just below his eyes so that he could check her out from across the dance floor. He started dancing toward her.

Noodle, who was still slightly stunned, rolled her eyes and smiled. She played along to his disco moves as she pointed to herself and mouthed “Me?”

Stu nodded his head and used his finger to direct her toward her. She strolled over, feeling the music run through her as she glided closer to him. They eventually met in the middle and looked into each other’s eyes as they circled around each other, still dancing along. 2D lent her a hand, which Noodle grabbed. Then, like a whip, 2D pulled her in and spun her around. He lifted her up by her waist and she smiled, placing her hands onto his shoulders. When her feet met the ground again, the two of them pointed to the ground and then to the sky while Noodle started to add her classic DARE dance moves into the mix.

The two of them danced together, smiling, laughing, and loving every moment. They danced along to songs like:

 _I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)_ by Daryl Hall & John Oates

 _Billie Jean_ by Michael Jackson

 _Saw You In A Dream_ by The Japanese House

 _In and Out of Love_ by Vera

 _YOU’RE THE ONE_ by KAYTRANADA, Syd

By this point, they had been dancing for over an hour and were sweating buckets, but it didn’t seem to bother either of them because they continued to dance, drawing in closer and closer.

Finally, the romance song of the century began to play: _Careless Whisper_ by George Michael.

Noodle laughed and drew away, but 2D held his gaze and pulled her in close by the waist. She glanced down and then back up to him, meeting his eyes as the classic quixotic song played on. He pulled her in even closer now so that her chest was against his and her arms were around his neck- a sight you’d see at any school dance in any movie ever.

She looked down for a moment.

“You know,” she looked back up to 2D. “I never _did_ tell you how long I stayed with you last night.”

This caught 2D’s attention as he tilted his head to one side. “Oh?”

“Yeah. There was a point when I thought I should leave, you know? I thought it wasn’t a good idea to be with you… after what happened.” She drew in closer to him now, as he continued to listen carefully. “I thought, ‘I shouldn’t be here,’ but then I realized, I _wanted_ to. I wanted to stay with you. I wanted to know that you were right there next to me.”

“So,” he started. “How long did you stay?”

She drew in closer so that her lips were inches away from his.

“Long enough to feel the sun shine through that giant hole in your ceiling,” she giggled.

Then, they both fell into each other, placing their lips passionately together as the saxophone of _Careless Whisper_ started up again, setting up a flawless movie moment. It was picture perfect, guaranteed to hold the #1 box office spot for weeks.

The whole world seemed to be spinning. The mellow, colorful lights in the room glowed all around them, reflecting off of the outlines of their skin. The disco ball flashed star-like projections onto their clothes and through the small space in between them. At this point, the booze from earlier had almost completely worn off and they were both entirely conscious of what they were doing, and frankly made no effort to pull away like they did the night before. They could each feel the warmth of the other’s skin as they melted in each other’s arms.

They finally released and smiled bashfully until 2D took her hand, once again, and led her back to his room. There, they did what any pair would do in a bedroom- nothing too fancy.

He helped her out of her shirt and she out of his, barely separating their lips in the process. 2D put his mouth all over her body as she squirmed and giggled beneath him. At some points, they switched so that she was on top and 2D could study her from below, using both his blackened eyes and his hands. The music could still be heard well enough into 2D’s room, setting the mood for hours.

When they finally had their fill of each other’s sexual company, they laid together until they both fell asleep; Noodle held onto 2D with her head resting on his chest, like some sort of koala bear hugging a tree, as he wrapped his arm around her.

The next morning, 2D awoke to find Noodle still asleep, lying right there next to him. Unbeknownst to him, a smile crept over her face as her back was turned toward him, eyes still closed and cheeks blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Be sure to check out all the songs featured; they're all taken from the latest Gorillaz G-Mix playlist on Spotify (except for "Shake Your Groove Thing"). Most songs are from Murdoc's playlist (including the chapter song), while others have been pulled from 2D's and Noodle's. If you listen to some of the lyrics, they're actually quite suggestive toward 2D and Noodle, but that's only if you look at it from that point of view. You can check out Murdoc's playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/user/gorillaz_/playlist/7xBFywsGNaXlXdW9l6H7o0  
> 2D's playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/gorillaz_/playlist/1WYyxP43JbEG7GS2KKLZcE  
> Noodle's playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/gorillaz_/playlist/2932iZ6W4Zl2twlzQa1pcK  
> Thanks and leave a comment! :D


	4. The Studio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to screw around in a full house is as hard as it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I was gone... I'm BACK!" The new Gorillaz song is awesome! And hopefully so is this chapter. A part of me was just going to end it last chapter, but I thought about it and finally found something that works so... more chapters to come! Chapter song: "Sleeping Powder" by Gorillaz.

It was about 12 a.m. and the group was getting nowhere.

“Look, man. I’m tellin’ you, this shit ain’t good enough. And if I think it’s garbage then so will everyone else.”

“And who the bloody hell do you think you are to say what’s good and what’s shit? _I’m_ the one responsible for the success of this damn band.”

“Shit…” Russel let out a hopeless sigh as Murdoc continued to use lies instead of words to defend his argument.

“Look, if you don’t want to be a team player, ol’ Russ, then you can gladly fetch me a drink while I’m busy over here working my damn ass off.”

“Oh hell naw, I aint gettin’ shit for yo’ cracka ass!” Russ and Murdoc continued to argue as Noodle and 2D sat back to avoid being any part of it.

And, to be quite frank, the two of them were lost in their own little world, paying no real attention to what the other two were bickering about. 2D was stroking his hand over Noodle’s knee, which really made her heart pound and her body blush, though she made a great effort to conceal it, seeing as how the two of them were only a few feet away from Murdoc and Russel. He began working his fingers toward her inner thigh, slowly caressing her soft skin, giving it a little squeeze here and there. Noodle would shift anxiously, which could’ve been a sign of either need or worry. His hand travelled higher and higher, closing in on its destination. Noodle’s chest clenched as she completely froze, feeling a burning heat spread all the way from her face to her toes. She was about to go insane with irresistible need to be touched by 2D more than he was already doing so, as well as overwhelming fear of being caught by the two arguing individuals only an arm’s length away.

“Why don’t we ask those two? They’re being awfully quiet. You’ve a say in any of this?” demanded a heated Murdoc.

Noodle shook herself aware and pushed 2D’s hand away, coincidentally causing him to be shot back into reality- a terrible, terrible reality in which two other unwanted members were disturbing him from getting closer to Noodle.

“Wha-what? Wass wrong?” 2D said clueless.

“Of course the face-ache hasn’t any idea what’s goin’ on,” Murdoc said unsurprised. “Noodle?” he asked, hoping for a better response.

“I think,” she started, searching her brain for an answer. “I think we should call it a day. We’ve been at this for hours, we’re not exactly getting anywhere, and it’s best to find time to step back and return later with a different perspective.”

“Spoken like a true artist,” said Russ smiling. “Unlike some people.”

And just like that, before the two started up again with their arguing, Noodle shuffled everyone out of the studio, including 2D. She pushed each of them into their respective rooms until she was only pushing 2D. He turned around to notice it was only the two of them before he swiftly lifted her up and pushed her up against her door. She giggled and the two of them kissed while she frantically tried opening her door from behind her. She was finally able to get a hold of the knob and turn it, causing 2D to push the two of them right through and smoothly kick the door closed behind him.

With her legs still wrapped around him and their lips still intertwined, Stu made his way toward her mattress and laid the girl down. He slowed the pace as he once again worked his hands up from her knee like he did before in the studio. An aroused Noodle closed her eyes and grabbed onto her sheets as her chest filled with air and reached for the sky. This formed a perfect arch in her back, leaving the vocalist plenty of room to snake his hands beneath her lower back. He was working his way up her bare skin, spontaneously sliding her shirt up toward her neck. She lifted her arms above her head, allowing him to pull it right off.

Her eyes were still closed as she gave out a small, barely suppressed moan through her mile-long smile. 2D reacted, giving her another squeeze before travelling back down to her shorts, which were made of faux black leather and were only held together by a long zipper that reached inches away from her belly button. He slowly unzipped her shorts and slid them off of her as his fingers wrapped around the straps of her underwear. The pair kissed once again before engaging in _other_ activities.

They had both finally crashed around 2 a.m. and remained in Noodle’s room for the rest of the night.

…

“Well where the bloody hell is he?!”

_Fuck._

Murdoc was storming the house in search of 2D, who was, to Noodle’s surprise, still naked in her bedroom and sleeping like a baby hopped up on one too many sleeping pills.

_Fuck. Oh fuck. Shit. Damnit!_

“Fuck!” Noodle scolded in a whisper after she finally found her voice. “Toochi! Toochi wake up!”

She gave him a ferocious nudge and only got a small groan in response.

“Oh for-“ And just then, Noodle grabbed her pillow and began beating an unconscious Stupot with it. “Wake. The. Hell. Up!”

“Wha-what?” the singer finally said.

“You stayed? Why would you stay? Don’t you know how stupid that is? I mean, what were you thinking?”

“Oh,” he said racking his brain for an answer. “Um, well-“

“I swear, sometimes you can be a real numbskull. Even for you!”

“I’m sorry, love-“

“And now we’ve got that psychopath roaming the entire house looking for your neck!”

2D’s eyes finally shot wide open as he began to understand the intense heat of the situation.

“Oh well I ought to get me self dressed and find a way out of ‘ere”

Noodle gave him a look that said ‘ _Ding! Ding! Ding! That’s correct!’_ as she threw his clothes over to him, while he threw her clothes over to her. The two of them scurried to get dressed, sometimes helping one another just to find a reason to touch. They were almost ready and about to return back to their respective rooms when-

“Hey, Noodle! Open up! You seen that blue-haired freak? You know, the idiot who’s making my life hell- and not the kind of hell that I hope to return to one day, but the kind that most fools think of as a horrible, fiery pit of disappointment.”

The two secret lovers turned to each other in panic until Noodle sprang into action. She shoved 2D into her large wardrobe and opened the door.

“Uh, no! Haven’t seen him! Sorry, Mudz. I think he may have gone out for a pack of smokes or something.”

He scanned the room behind her for any sign of 2D before grumbling in realization that it was no use.

“Well, let me know if you see that bloke.”

“Of course…” she said playfully rolling her eyes.

“Oh and Noodle,” he said before walking away.

“Hm?”

“You may want to clean your room. It’s looking a lot like 2D’s,” he paused. “And maybe even a bit like mine- you know with all the muddled sheets and the after-sex musk, which, unlike popular belief, is actually quite appealing if I do say so myself. I mean isn’t that part of being human? Acting like an animal? I mean-“

“Okay! Thank you! I will clean my room and keep an eye out for Tusspot.”

“Oi!” A little voice responded from Noodle’s room.

Before Murdoc even had the chance to question whether or not he heard 2D’s voice, Noodle slammed her door and let out a loud sigh.

She whizzed over to her wardrobe and opened it up to grab 2D by the ear and toss him to the middle of her room.

“Ow! Was that fo’? I mean, I kinda liked it… kind of turned me on a bit, but-“

“Hello? I was trying to get rid of Murdoc when you thought it best to open your mouth.”

“You called me Tusspot! You know I don’t like that!”

Noodle sighed. It was hard to get mad at 2D knowing how innocent the poor thing was.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I guess this whole thing is really both our faults. But we can’t let it happen again. It’s bad enough that we’re all living in a full house of people, but it’s even worse when two of those people are sleeping together.”

Noodle paused and bit her lip.

“I don’t mind,” replied 2D after a few more seconds passed.

“I know you don’t,” she smiled as she started pushing him toward the door.

The two of them were finally in the hallway, almost ready to part ways- something that pained the both of them. Stuart bent down to give a saddened Noodle one last peck, while still holding onto both her hands. Noodz continued to look down before 2D lifted her chin.

“Sorry, love. Maybe I can sneak over later tonight, yeah? And this time I promise to be back in my room before that old beast wakes up.”

Noodle let out a small giggle. She resented the fact that their time together was so limited. She didn’t want him to go back to his room after just having fucked her. She always wanted him to stay because watching him leave was like watching the whole world leave. And when the whole world leaves, it’s just you, and you’re all alone just the way you were before. And it hurts; it makes you feel empty, like someone removed all your organs and left you with only a pain-ridden heart.

“Goodbye, love,” and with that, 2D let go of her hands and returned to his room, while Noodle stood alone in the hallway.

2D found himself leaning against his door, rubbing his neck and staring at an empty room. He too hated when he had to leave Noodle, but it was for the best. He didn't want to raise any more suspicion and he had already screwed up pretty bad by not making it back to his room before the whole house woke up.

_She probably finks I'm some kind of idiot. Well, I am, but now she probably finks so even more. Especially to her. She's so smart… and so… independent? Yeah, I guess thas what I meant. She's just… I don't know._

And it's true. He really didn't know. There was something about Noodle that made him feel like less when he tried to find a comparison between them. He shook the thoughts away as they were causing too much of a mess in his brain. Walking across his room and falling onto his bed, he grabbed one of his pill bottles- it didn't matter which one, as long as it could knock him out and numb any and all feeling in his body. He quickly chucked two in his mouth and waited for it to kick in. It was funny. All this hanging around Noodle made the pain go away on its own but once she was gone, the pain returned in an instant and with full force.

Stu sat up and glanced across his room to the wall where some of his favorite pictures were hanging. However, only one was truly his favorite.

He made his way over to find the picture of Noodle riding a jaguar.

_She’s incredible._

2D drew a quick breath and slowly exhaled.

“I think I'm in love.”

…

Eventually, Murdoc realized that 2D had made his way back into his grasp and made no effort to withhold any form of beating. It was nothing that 2D wasn't already used to. At this point it seemed quite reassuring; it gave him a sense that all was natural and he hadn't accidentally fallen in love with one of his band mates. In fact, the entirety of Murdoc’s antagonizing took his mind off of much stronger emotions.

“I swear, I ought to put a leash on you,” he mumbled.

_I think Noodle’s already beat you to it. This collar is pretty tight._

“And for all the inconceivable- 2D are you even listening to the words I’m spitting?”

_No._

“It’s like I’m not even talking to you anymore. I’ve just been talking to myself, while you- you…” he paused. “It’s like your mind is in a whole other place, busy with something else.” He looked at 2D, puzzled.

_God, how I wish I was somewhere else._

Murdoc glared at the daydreaming singer with the same dumbfounded look until he realized he no longer cared. He shook his head.

“I don’t know what’s got you so distracted, but it better not get in the way of this record.”

Then, the distressed goblin gave 2D one more menacing look before disappearing into the studio downstairs.

Stuart let out a relaxed sigh and closed his eyes.

“Toochi?” called out a little voice.

“Oh shit,” 2D stumbled at the sound of Noodle poking her head into the room. “Uh Noodz, sort of frightened me there.”

“Sorry,” she smiled. “I just- uh… I just kinda heard Murdoc really give it to you.”

“Oh yeah. Well, iss no big deal really. Just the usual,” he replied as he gave her a reassuring smile in return.

The two had left a wide space between them, worried that if they got too close then the whole world would collapse around them. Stu looked at the guitarist longingly. He couldn’t resist moving in closer to her. Without thinking, he brushed a hair behind her ear and held her cheek in his palm. Surprised at first, Noodle quickly found herself nuzzling into 2D’s touch, closing her eyes and letting the blush spread across her face just like the smile beneath it.

“Noodle,” 2D started.

“Yeah, 2D?”

“I- um. I think maybe I… um,” he tried searching for the right thing to say while lost in Noodle’s gaze. “I think I should go.”

And he did. He let go of Noodle and walked back to his room without another word.

_‘Oh god,’_ she thought to herself as she held her face in her hands.

_Why does he make me feel like this? Am I going crazy? Is any of this even real? Have I just been dreaming all of this? No, this has to be real. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything more real. Jesus, I thought maybe this was just some stupid fling and we would both eventually move on, but I’ve just fallen even deeper. Has he? Does he feel the way I feel? _

Noodle stopped her train of thought to raise her head from her hands.

_‘I wonder if he feels anything special for me…’_ She lowered her brows. _‘Or if I’m just another fuck.’_

The artist felt a sharp pain in her heart and her blood warm. She had come to care for 2D in a way that she cared for no one else. If he didn’t feel the same then it would truly break Noodle’s heart.

…

The vocalist lingered downstairs into the studio. He didn’t necessarily _want_ to be near Murdoc, but any company was better than company without Noodle. He propped himself down next to the bassist, letting out a long sigh. He fished in his pockets for a smoke and a light and started puffing away. He shut his eyes and rubbed his hair back, soaking in the silence of the room.

“Go ‘head. Lay it on me. What the hell’s goin’ on in that pit you call your head?”

Stuart threw him a scowl, but Murdoc didn’t paying any attention.

“Nuffin’ that concerns you,” he replied.

“Oh but I think it does,” Murdoc replied suspiciously. He turned to a confused 2D. “Because when one member of my band starts fucking another member, you bet your last cig it concerns me.”

2D froze and widened his stare with Murdoc. He blinked up a storm before attempting to cover up his affairs with Noodle.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

“Oh save it. I had my suspicions when Noodle stopped bringing her wisdom to recording sessions and started living like the lover herself. I knew something was up. But what really put a crack in the case was the pathetic exchange I heard upstairs. These walls aren’t thick enough and these drugs _really_ amplify the senses.” He casually took out a cigarette of his own, feeling somewhat proud of his now-known discovery.

“Well,” 2D spoke cautiously. “What are you gonna do?”

Murdoc laughed. “Me? Oh I don’t have to do anything. I’m just going to let this thing play itself out. I mean it’s only a matter of time before she realizes you’re not good enough and she made a mistake. No, this whole mess is sure to erupt soon enough.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke and returned to scribbling on a crumpled bit of sheet music.

_Not good enough? I’m not good enough? I-_

“I’m giving it maybe a couple more rounds of sex before she says to herself, ‘I need to get away from this no-good piece of useless shit.’ But, hey, look it’s not your fault. You really think that you’re meant to be with someone as good as she is? For Satan’s sake, she’s practically building the Gorillaz empire; she’s working with the brightest minds at the biggest companies, writing music that could make a deaf person sing, and most of all, the lass has definitely fit into her skin, and the fans are going crazy for more Noodle. Trust me, they want to see her naked just as much as you do- well, have.”

2D began to frantically shake his head as more thoughts raced than ever before.

“Want my advice? I say cut her off. Go get laid with some stacked girl from the pub. Forget Noodle. After all, she’s sure to forget you.”

_No, no, no. That isn’t true! I… love Noodle. She wouldn’t leave just because she may be better than me. She’s got a bigger heart than that. No, he’s trying to get in your head and you can’t let him in. You can’t let him in, you stupid idiot. It’s another one of ‘is games. Damn you, brain! Damn you, Murdoc!_

“Stop it! I’ve heard enough! I’m leaving.”

“Fine. Suit yourself. But just remember 2D: it’s only a matter of time before she crushes your heart and leaves you busted and blue.”

2D darted from the studio and bolted for his room. He slammed his door and popped in a few more pills. He made sure to lock himself in completely. For a brief moment, he caught a glimpse of Noodle’s picture. He held it and stared at the beaut, brushing his fingers over the picture before ripping it up and tossing it to the floor. He cranked up the rock and fell onto his bed, throwing the sheets over his face to block everything out.

_I’m not good enough for Noodle. She doesn’t want me. She can have anyone, why would she want me? Damn her for being so irresistible and living just across the bloody hallway. Why was I so stupid for thinking she would want to be with someone like me? I never should have kissed her. I never should’ve let my damn dick do all the thinking. Fuck me for falling for her. Fuck me for wanting to love her._

2D’s brain eventually shut down on its own due to all the drugs. His brain was on hold for now, but would soon have to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. This chapter was shortened down to about 3,000 words rather than the usual 4,000. I don't really want to kill myself trying to get in 4k words so hopefully it didn't feel too much shorter! Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment! Thanks!


	5. The Hall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2D and Noodle spend time apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinda on a roll right now, guys. Chapter song: "The Look" by Metronomy.

It had been three days since 2D and Noodle last spoke. Their last words were those of an increased loathing toward one another. It had started out as no big deal to Noodle as she skipped along and chirped her usual kind, thoughtful and always charming words.

“Hey, 2-Dents!” She greeted as the vocalist sat alone on the family room couch.

2D said nothing.

She propped herself down next to him, thinking nothing of his unusual silence and hinted disinterest in her presence.

“Earth to Stuart, come in! Is there anyone in there?” She joked, poking at his head and playing with his ruffled blue hair. Her smile subsided as she became increasingly more distraught with worry. At this point she knew something about him was different. First, he hadn't bothered to come see her last night, which she knew was odd, but didn't question the matter further, and second, he was giving her some sort of silent treatment. And it wasn't exactly easy to get a read on 2D either. His eyes were literal black holes, which made it almost impossible to understand what was wrong in a time like this.

“Toochi, are you all right?” Noodle said as she laid a hand on 2D.

He, on the other hand, began to fall prey to her compassion, loving every moment she called him ‘Toochi’ and every moment he could feel the electricity race from her skin to his. But 2D hadn’t forgotten what Murdoc said the night before. He couldn’t let her continue to torture him. He knew how this would end: with her walking away with someone else- someone better for whom he could not compare. He knew that when it was all over, the constant pain he felt on a daily basis would be unbearably amplified to lethal measures.

“I'm fine,” he said shortly as he pulled his hand away and stood up from his spot on the couch. He walked over a cabinet full of alcoholic concoctive ingredients and pulled out the first bottle he laid eyes on. He had to avoid looking at her for fear of breaking down.

“Oh, well ok,” she said, trying to recover from the fact that 2D seemed to be repulsed by her touch. “So… Russel and Murdoc are going to be out for a few hours if you want to, you know, hang out or something. I was thinking maybe we could go to that scenic spot under the bridge. You know? The one where Murdoc almost got his ass kicked by that dog?” She laughed and eyed him as he had his back turned toward her.

“Can't.”

“Oh, that's fine. Then maybe we could-“

“Look, I'm actually gonna be going out so…”

Noodle paused.

“Okay… care to enlighten me on where you’re planning on going?” she said with a forced and fading cheerfulness in her voice.

“The bar, maybe a club, wherever the night takes me and wherever there's a steady flow of booze and women.”

A stunned Noodle blinked wildly as she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

“Ouch. What, am I not enough for you to want to stay in?” she mumbled while dropping her gaze to stare at her twiddling thumbs.

“C’mon, you didn’t think any of this was serious, did you? It’s just sex.”

Was he actually going to go pick up some chick and bring her home, after the two of them had been fucking the past few days? Then Noodle remembered; that's exactly what it was- just fucking. Nothing more. Just soulless, heartless, loveless fucking. Her suspicion about how 2D felt had been correct, and the truth was he didn’t feel anything, at least not for Noodle.

“Of course. That’s what you’re best at right? Jumping from one whore to the next. You sure do know how to pick ‘em. And, frankly, I applaud you for never sticking with a single one for too long, not that any of them are in the slightest bit distinctive. But, no really, bravo, Stuart. Please, continue to fuck the usual pick of the runt.”

“You know what? At least I know girls like that wouldn’ never expect somefink better. So screw you. You're not as kind and as innocent as everyone plays you out to be. In fact, you can actually be a bit of a cunt wiffout even knowin’ it.”

Noodle snorted. “Me? You’re joking, right?”

“Yes, you!”

“Well I think that's definitely a step up from being a low-life, drugged-up, horny bastard who's always flying from one dumb blonde to the next without ever even stopping to think that maybe there's someone out there worth holding onto!”

2D slammed his glass against the wall, letting it shatter and pierce his hand by thousands of tiny shards. He started toward a now angry Noodle. She, in return, climbed over the couch and started toward him. They were close enough to kiss, anger radiating from the both of them.

“You fink I don' want that? I can’t ‘elp it if the person I care about would never feel the same way or if that person wouldn’ ever stay! But you wouldn't know anythin’ about that, would you? Cos unlike me, the one you call a horny little bastard, you wouldn't ever ‘ave to worry about loving someone back because who could ever love someone as heartless as you!”

Noodle’s eyes widened. She didn’t know whether to run away or cry or scream. Her eyebrows furrowed. With a delayed reaction, she pulled her arm back and released it with full force, slapping 2D right in the face. Then, she stormed out of the room, laying down her final words.

“Let's see how you like it.”

She disappeared into the hall, leaving 2D to his reddened face and bloodied hand.

_Ah… shit, that hurt. The girl’s got one helluva slap when she's mad. Who cares… at least now I'm not the one being made into some fool. That's the real pain and now it's all gone. I'm off to find solace in the pants of someone else._

That was three days ago.

…

It was now a Friday night in a big city where everyone was either boozing or riding the cock of some depressed bloke trying to escape his miserable life. Or both.

One particular bloke was out with Russel at some club on Cicero. The bloke, usually referred to as 2D, was slouched on a barstool, ordering rounds every minute.

“Oi, can I get another one, mate?” he said, raising his glass.

“Are one of those for me?” asked some busty girl in a tight, pink dress and bulky heels, twirling her hair. 2D scaled the girl up and down, intrigued by her curvy figure.

“Sure thing,” he smiled. “Aye, bartender, can I get one for this miss ‘ere?”

“So, what do you say to maybe hitting the dance floor, or would you rather just head back to your place?”

“I fink we’ve got time for a dance,” he said taking one last sip before being dragged onto the floor.

2D entered with the thrill of forgetting his troubles and letting lose with his newfound companion. He felt the music flow through him as his mind let go. He could feel his conscious drift elsewhere, leaving his body behind. He was being taken back to a different dance floor, one shared with a different girl. No one else was around except for him and that girl. And even though it was only the two of them, that was all he needed. He could feel the warmth of her skin, the elegance of her speech, the youthfulness of her movements, and the unconditional affection that radiated all around her.

The vocalist shook himself from his mental wonder as he quickly came to realize that the girl he was thinking about was Noodle. His feet stumbled around a bit on the floor, the cause of which could’ve been all the drinking or the memories. He rubbed his eyes.

“Hey, you all right? We can get out of here if you want,” the female stranger said with a sly smile.

“What? No, no. I don’t think so, not tonight, sorry love. Not really feeling too well. I think I may be coming down with somefing.” He left the girl stranded on the dance floor as he worked his way through the crowd. He felt as though he was swimming through a never-ending sea of people, drowning beneath their unwanted presence. He thought he wasn’t going to make it out of the crowd alive, and that he’d die among those he didn’t care for when all he wanted was to be there with the _only_ person he cared for. 2D felt like death was dragging him deeper into the masses, that the music was muting his screams and cries for help. He thought it was the end, and then- a door!

2D busted through, feeling the fresh air cool his cheeks and fill his lungs. He could hear ringing but brushed it off, as it was no worse than the ringing he heard on his worst days. He took a deep breath, recovering from the unforgiving sea that was the club. Stupot fumbled around a bit before finding a walk that would lead him… who knows where.

The singer walked for miles, just breathing and thinking. He would try to think about something else other than Noodle, but his untamed mind would always be led right back to her. For one moment, he thought about how he had just left Russel back at the club without telling him where he’d be or who’d kidnapped him this time. He thought about sending a text, but didn’t feel like expending the effort.

All the walking finally led 2D to the spot under the bridge where Noodle had wanted to take him those few days ago. He looked around.

On one side was the city. Lights gleamed from tall buildings and cars honked in a scream-like fashion. He thought he could hear each individual conversation occurring on the streets. Some people spoke with happiness and drunken excitement. Others spoke with hatred and foul discourse. The clash between the two sounded like tires screeching on a road that you were tied down to, about to be squashed by a car or a train or a person riding a bike. The various inharmonious colors of streetlights, car lights, windows, signs, and billboards was beyond unbearable. The worst part was how the lights lit up the sky; it was unnatural and inorganic. It was like smog covering Beijing, only it was a just a crowded city littered with conflicting colors. Once again, 2D felt as though he was drowning.

He shook the sounds and the sights from his mind. He turned his head to the other side of the bridge.

On the other side was nothing. Nothing but trees and open spaces and breathable air. There were no people to argue or engage in mindless sensual activity. There were no screaming cars or cars to run you over while you’re tied to the road. There were no lights fighting amongst one another to see who could shine the brightest and attract the most attention. 2D looked up. The sky was a dark blanket sprinkled with melodious crystalized stars. Each one was different. Each one was its own distinct star, twirling and twinkling to the same amorous song. They danced alone, but together in the night sky. 2D thought he could hear an orchestra of music emanating from the starlit sky. The delicious mix of luminescent beings reflected off of 2D’s own blank, black eyes, turning them into their own set of starry nights.

Stuart dropped his head and looked at the ground. He overheard people laughing meters behind him. He turned around to notice the few cars set up underneath the bridge at the edge of earth.

2D pulled out a cigarette and lit up.

One of the cars was a convertible. The top was down and revealed two people holding each other close. He could see the girl laugh and turn to give her lover a quick kiss then return to lying in his arms, leaning her head on his shoulder.

2D exhaled a haze of toxins into the air.

Another car wasn’t a convertible. Instead, that couple resided on the top, sprawled out and facing the sky. He noticed that the man sat up to look at his girl. She, in return, also sat up and the two figures closed the gap between them, meshing their shadows together.

2D inhaled another smoke.

He was now looking at a couple on a bench. The difference here was age. They both looked well into their final years. Stuart imagined that they had probably been visiting this spot under the bridge long before any one of these other younger couples had even taken their first breath. The old man had his arm wrapped around his elderly wife. He couldn’t hear any kind of communication from the two of them, which could’ve been because they were too quiet and he was too far or because they weren’t saying anything at all- just taking in the scenery and the company of each other.

2D let out one last puff before tossing his cig to the ground and stepping on its remains. He looked down again.

_What have I done? What am I doing? I haven’t slept. I haven’t had the guts to take home another girl- ‘aven’t had the stomach either. It’s like they’ve all become too horrid for my taste. It’s like I can’t help but feel outgrown to these women. I can hardly eat or walk right. Everything taste like cardboard and wet bud. Pills don’t do much of anything anymore. Nothing does. It feels like someone is stepping on my chest constantly and every time I think of her its like I’m getting squashed harder and harder._

_Why did I push her away? All I wanted was to be with her and only her. It’s that manipulative psycho that put those thoughts in my head. Gotta hand it to ‘em. He’s got a sick way with words. Convinced me to fall out of love._

_Only he didn’t. He only switched on some robotic response within me that drove her away. My feelings still haven’t changed. I still ‘aven’t changed. My love for her still ‘asn’t changed. She’s never once pushed me away for any reason. For all the bullshit I’ve given her over the years, she’s always been there, taking care of me when I’m fucked up and staying with me when I wanted no one around. I’m the one who she should’ve pushed away. I may not ever deserve her, but I want her. I love her. I love Noodle._

2D made up his mind and started back toward the street. As he walked away, the couple in the convertible continued to hold each other, the two on the car roof still lay together and the elderly lovers on the bench continued to sit in silence, needing the company of only each other.

…

The vocalist waved down a cab and it took him back to the Gorillaz household. On the way, they passed streetlights and bright signs and car lights and giant billboards. They heard cars honk and people shout in anger and pleasure. They eased through the streets that cut the disaster of a cake that was the busy city. The cab driver finally pulled up to the house. 2D tipped him generously and thanked him. He stepped out and took a deep breath. As the taxi drove off, Stupot was left alone on the sidewalk leading up to the house. A single light lit up the pavement while tiny bugs swirled all around it, plastered with the need to consume more of its rays.

He slowly walked up to the house and pulled out a set of keys. He unlocked the door and paused.

_What am I supposed to say to her? ‘Sorry for telling you that you weren’t worth being loved’ or ‘sorry for making you think I hated you after you did nothing wrong and were only ever there for me whenever I called out.’ I’m such an idiot. I can’t do this. She’s still going to hate me, might even slap me again, not that I don’ deserve it. Bullocks._

He decided to quit thinking and just open the door. He stepped inside the house and immediately heard the sound of two people screwing. His mind went directly to Murdoc; he probably had another one of many girls over to let him torture him sexually as it was his new kink. He walked deeper into the house, closer to Murdoc’s room as the sound increased then stopped completely. Murdoc would never stop at the sound of anyone coming home. 2D’s curiosity led him to open his door.

Nothing. There was no one in there. There weren’t any women tying him down or vis versa. There wasn’t any sign of Murdoc getting choked or whipped or gagged by anyone or vis versa. There wasn’t any sign of Murdoc at all. One would think that he wasn’t even in the house and that maybe he was out and had probably blacked out somewhere.

But then where did the sound come from? Maybe 2D imagined it. After all, he was known for mentally conjuring up many instances that never happened. He brushed it off and continued moving toward his own room. He stood in the hall dividing him and Noodle. Unlike the bridge that 2D had recently visited, this hallway was more like a wall. It teased him with the taste of being close to Noodle but kept him as far from her as possible.

Suddenly he heard the noise start up again. He hadn’t imagined it after all! But 2D wished he had because before he knew it, he was tracing the sound directly to Noodle’s bedroom. His heart rate picked up and his mind started racing. His breathing was irregular and had picked up speed. He didn’t know what to do other than stand in the hall in a frozen state of shock. He could hear moaning and giggling, _her_ giggling. Then, he heard a pause and footsteps that seemed to be getting closer and closer to him. His heart beat even harder and even faster and felt as if it was going to burst when her door suddenly whipped open.

There stood Noodle, wearing nothing but a button down. Her hair had that after-sex look and her skin was moist with sweat. She looked up to see 2D standing in a state of shock. The two just stood there looking at each other, both equally hurt.

Noodle took a deep, shaky breath before speaking.

“Now you know what it’s like.”

Stuart just stood looking at Noodle, completely shook and thinking of nothing other than the sexed-up Noodle that stood before him. He felt the hairs stick up on the back of his neck and his lungs and heart stop working.

Emerging from behind Noodle was some large, muscular man. He approached the pair and opened the door wider to get a better look at whoever was standing in the hallway. He looked 2D up and down.

“Who’s this wanker then?” the man said.

Noodle lowered her eyes from 2D to look at the floor. 2D gazed a moment longer at her as she hid behind her bangs, biting her lip. He finally shifted his eyes from Noodle to the random stranger who had more-than-likely just been inside her.

“Hey, legs, what the bloody hell do you want?”

2D’s brain finally released his body from its state of immobility. His eyebrows lowered and before the stranger knew it, 2D had socked him in the face with the full force of jealousy and uncontrollable love for Noodle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go back and read that last sentence again, only this time listen to "X Gon' Give It To Ya" by DMX and imagine everything is in slo-mo. You'll feel like a baller. I did. Haha! No, but seriously this was a very difficult chapter to construct as it took a lot of writing and re-writing to find something that pulls at your heartstrings while still maintains continuity in the characters. I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to leave a comment to tell me what you thought or to just tell me how much you hate/ love 2nu fanfic. Thanks!


	6. The Building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noodle comes face to face with everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went back and re-read this entire work until like 12 am and I found SO MANY spelling and grammatical errors. I almost lost my mind. If I were the reader then I would be hella pissed. I thought about going back in and finding the errors again, but I thought, “I really don’t want to go back through 19,000 words.” So, if you see anything that sounds weird or if you see any spelling errors then PLEASE let me know. I appreciate it so much and I love all the feedback I’ve been getting on this work. From now on, my plan is to take a day off from after I’ve finished writing so that I can come back and have a fresh look at the chapter and fix anything that sounds weird. Also, I found out that Katsu is a male cat and not a female, but I’m leaving him as a girl in this story. #SorryNotSorry Chapter Song: Get You (feat. Kali Uchis) by Daniel Caesar

If the world were to somehow turn itself inside out, letting its innards fall into the zero gravity space around it, then who’s to say someone would notice? People would just go about their normal routine, fleeing from one simulated interaction to another, stopping only to wee or tie their shoe. No one would really have anything to say about it, too locked up in his or her own prison of personal affairs. The man who kisses his children goodbye before work wouldn’t take a second to ask, “Well who the hell turned the world inside out?” He’d just step outside, shut his mouth, keep his head down and deal with the madness turning within his own head.

Likewise, if someone were to come at you with a force greater than that of Murdoc’s own abusive power then who’s to say you’d feel it? If anything, you’d just fall asleep and dream about all the ‘what if’s in your life. Like, what if 2D hadn’t sold the Geep? What if he hadn’t had breakfast this morning? What if he hadn’t come home?

_What if I hadn’t fallen in love with Noodle?_

Such thoughts were usually dangerous, which is why they were most often kept as just that: thoughts inside your head. And what were thoughts exactly? Who knows… maybe they were moving pictures that were embedded into your brain by aliens or the government. What are thoughts made of? Everything’s made of something. Why are these confusing little… things so inexplicably dangerous, yet no one even knows what they are?

And why were birds spinning all around 2D’s head? He wasn’t outside. Who had let these little blue birds into his house to circle his brain like he was a dead animal caught in the desert? Why did they look like the kind of fairy-tale birds you’d find in an old Disney movie?

_Oh well. They’re kind o’ nice. Distracting, innit. They’re jus’ little birdies. Harmless._

2D was about to reach a hand out to one of the soft blue creatures when he felt a boulder fall right onto his face. He shook his head to find the birds had flown off and the boulder had been crushed on impact and presumably been absorbed into the Earth to later be expended when the planet decided to turn itself inside out. Now, all that 2D could see was an enormous giant standing over him. The large fellow was a bit blurred but the vocalist could still make out his figure- an ogre who smelled like rum and had evil, glowing red eyes. The monster’s fist came down toward his stomach now.

_Don’t eat me! I don’t fink I even taste all that good. Probably taste like a pack of camels with a possible hint of old butterscotch. Wait. Can butterscotch candy even age?_

Another blow to his head and the birds seemed to be coming back to save him. But what could they do, really? Being so little, it’s not like they could carry him to safety. Maybe they could just sing him a song. That would be enough for ol’ 2D.

But wait! Behind the giant ogre! A princess! A beautiful princess with dark hair and a strong heart of purity! He must save the princess.

SMACK!

_I don’t think I can get to the princess. This ogre’s going to eat me then he’s going to go after her. I can’t save her. I can’t even save me self._

“Toochie!”

The woozy front man finally shook his head at the sound of Noodle’s voice. The thing he thought to be an ogre was actually a man, and the one he thought to be a princess was actually Noodle. The blue birds were only the fleeting feeling of blacking out.

Noodle was struggling to pull the man off of a horribly beaten 2D, but alas she was much too small and he was much too huge. It was like a building being attacked by a feather- an angry feather. She finally let go and disappeared into her room. She returned with a knife between her teeth as she leaped onto the building once again, causing it to come crashing down. The building retaliated by pulling out a few of the feather’s strands.

Noodle was wrestling with the man when his large fist came tumbling down into her thigh. She let out a heavy screech in pain before using what energy she had left to position herself on top of the fallen enemy. With one foot holding down his hand and her own hand holding down another, she held the knife up to his neck and breathed heavily.

She looked into his eyes and let out a final warning. “Unless you want your head detached from the rest of you then I suggest you leave. And don’t bother calling.” The large, frightened man nodded and Noodle released him. She watched him leave until she heard the front door shut. Then she took in a breath of relief and turned toward the body next to her.

“Toochie!” Noodle shook Stuart’s limp body until she realized he was out cold. “Oh god. Fuck.” She tucked her knees in close to her chest and buried her face.

“This is all my fault. Why did I have to go and do something so stupid?” She raised her head to look at the still frozen 2D. “It’s just… you made me feel like I was just another girl or whatever. It sucked. Why did you do that? I cared about you. I cared about you even before we started doing… whatever this was. And then you just tossed me aside when I thought maybe I was starting to,” she paused, afraid of saying the words out loud even though Stuart was completely out. “…Like you. Like, really like you. I thought maybe I was falling-”

She cut herself off again. Her eyebrows furrowed and she closed her eyes, taking in another deep breath. Slowly opening her eyelids, she returned to her thoughts.

_I never should’ve brought that guy home. I thought I was filling the void, but it just made things worse. I guess I hoped that if I closed my eyes and concentrated hard enough then it would eventually seem like I was with 2D. It’d eventually feel like I was with the person I so badly wanted to be with._

“You,” she said aloud, looking at the back of his head.

“Who was I kidding? I just left us both scarred worse than before.” Noodle finally reached out to brush the artist’s hair from his face. “I’m sorry.”

Suddenly the dead body jerked and groaned.

“Oh Toochie!” She sat on her knees next to him as her hands covered her face.

She looked at him again and caressed his face, pulling his head into her lap.

“Aw, geez, I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I was angry and I did something stupid. Oh, god. Now look at you. Jesus, this is all my fault.” She talked to him over and over, filling in all the spaces and leaving no room for 2D to feel like he was all alone.

“Noodz.”

“Yeah, 2D? Yeah? What is it? Oh I’m so sorry.” She frantically leaned in closer and held his face, eager to know what it was he had to say.

“He didn’t muck up my good side, did he?”

Noodle let out a hysterical laugh through her thankful sigh. She pulled him in close, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in his familiar scent. He, in return embraced her like he hadn’t held her in his arms for years.

…

Noodle had helped 2D into his room and into his bed. She sat down next to him, afraid to leave.

“Stuart, I- I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d punch him and I didn’t think it would end with you completely blacking out. I- I’m sorry.” Her voice sort of cracked at the end, suggesting that the confident, strong, fearless and ever tough Noodle was starting to break down. She rubbed her eye and took a deep breath, clearing her throat and trying to get it together.

“It’s just… I thought you didn’t care for me or that maybe you even hated me. I don’t know. I was hurt. I liked being with you and it seemed like you didn’t and that maybe you never would, you know, in that way,” she said as she lifted her eyes to look at his.

He, on the other hand, was looking down at something else, ignoring Noodle’s gaze. She sat in silence, waiting for him to say something. The silence expanded for a while, making Noodle increasingly anxious.

2D finally spoke up, calming the guitarist. “What happened?” he said pointing to the large bruise forming on her outer thigh. He reached for it, touching the mark and tracing it with his fingertips. Noodle winced at the sting sent throughout her entire leg, causing 2D to remove his hand and look up at her.

“Sorry,” he said.

“No, no. It was just that asshole got me pretty good,” she replied. After a pause, she spoke again. “Don’t be sorry. None of this is your fault.”

“Ha.” 2D let out a laugh and looked back down to Noodle’s leg. He started twiddling with a bruise-free area of her skin. “No, I fink a lot of this _is_ my fault.”

“’D-“

“I thought you wouldn’t want to be wif me because I’m just some freak with problems and you’re this young and smart and pretty girl. I thought you’d eventually leave for someone more like… you. And seeing you with someone else really ticked me off and it juss got to me so I had to… well, you know.” He paused to look up at Noodle who was shocked at this reveal.

“I- I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, I’ve given this thing a lot of thinking and I fink I know what I want to say and what I want to say is that I think I love you, Noodle. I do. I love you, Noodle.”

“Oh.”

“And I don’t mean it like ‘oh look there’s little Noodz, I love that girl.’ I mean I love you love you.”

“Oh.”

“And this isn’t like that time when I thought I was in love with that coat rack ‘til I found out it was a coat rack. I don’t want to be with anyone else when I’m wif you. I just want to be with you. Do you maybe get that feeling sometimes too? Err… _did_ you maybe ever get that feeling?”

She blushed and held onto 2D’s hand that was just holding her leg. She finally met his eyes and let a soft smile spread across her face.

“Yeah, 2D I think I did- do. And for the record,” she paused and let out an unsteady breath. “I… love you love you too.”

Stuart returned the smile and sat up to grab Noodle and lay her down on his bed. She tittered as he ran his hands all over her and started kissing her from the chest up. Finally meeting her lips, their tongues danced in each other’s mouths.

2D did taste a little like butterscotch candy.

Noodle tasted like flowers.

The two sat up as Noodle peeled off her top, revealing her bare body as goose bumps arose on her chest. 2D held his breath as he got a good look at Noodle, taking note of all her scars and all her perfections to make up for the last few days without her. Her cheeks turned red as she felt more susceptible than usual in front of her band mate. Without thinking, she slouched and her arms pushed her breasts closer together, making it completely irresistible for 2D. His wild eyes met her hidden ones. He pushed her bangs back to get a clear sight of her gleaming rhinestone eyes. He racked his brain for the right thing to say.

“You’re a wonderful person, Noodle,” he said before she climbed into his lap.

“You are too, Toochie.”

2D melted under these words and fell with her on top of him. She was careful not to place too much of her weight on his stomach on account of his recent beatings, but he didn’t seem to notice. Sucked into him, she starting pressing into his jeans, wanting more. In response, Stu slid a hand down toward her sweet spot. She leaned her head back and let out a breath that allowed him to hear a little bit of her voice. Her worked his fingers even more until she let out a soft moan and her voice became crystal clear. Breathing hard now, she realized she wanted more and flipped the two of them over so that he was back on top and could really go to town on her.

He slid off his trousers and started pushing into Noodle. He could feel her skin burning as he placed his hands on her hips and moved them up towards her neck. She closed her eyes and left her mouth open to make breathing easier. Her moans were music to 2D’s ears. He wished he could put them on a track but then thought it wasn’t such a good idea.

He pulled her up so that he was once again holding her in his lap. He looked up at her face and started sucking on her neck while still inside her. Her head fell back as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gripped his shoulders. She tugged at the hair in the back of his head, allowing her access to his mouth. She opened her eyes for a moment and could see a small trail of blood coming from his bruised eyebrow. Catching sight of another bruise beneath her hands residing on his shoulder, she released her hold on him. She became overly distracted with all the marks left on his skin.

“Wass wrong?” 2D finally said.

He could see that she was looking at his shoulder and checked to find the dark bruise staring her in the eye. He looked back up to a guilt-ridden Noodle.

“Hey, don’ worry about it, love. It’ll heal soon enough and then I’ll be back to me squeaky-clean self,” he said reassuringly.

She looked into his black holes and nodded her head and held him once more, letting him press his face between her knockers, something of which 2D very much enjoyed. Noodle finally let go and proceeded to pushing 2D onto his back. He slid out of her as she slithered her way down his torso, still watching him until she began sucking on him and he was forced to toss his head back. He let out a sigh and she continued to go down on him. He moaned and wriggled around beneath her. When he finished, she giggled and wiped her mouth as he finally sat up to look into her dangerous eyes. Letting a sly smile stretch across his face, he started toward a proud Noodle and trapped her under him.

The two laughed and smiled until they’re smiles faded away. 2D looked deeply into Noodle and she gazed back. She raised a palm to his cheek as he held himself above her, not wanting to move.

“I’m sorry I smacked you,” she said, rubbing her thumb across his cheek.

2D responded by leaning down to kiss her once more.

“It’s all right, love.” He pressed down lower to her ear and whispered, “I kind of liked it actually.”

Noodle giggled and rolled her eyes. 2D fell over onto his back next to Noodle. She scooted close to him, laying a hand on his chest and a leg between the two of his.

They both looked up at the still gaping hole in his ceiling. The stars were as beautiful as ever and the sky was as dark as Stuart’s eyes. Noodle drew a breath.

“Do you ever plan on fixing that?”

2D laughed. “What’s there to fix? I get the best view in the whole world. I can see the sky and the clouds and the stars and any aliens or UFOs.”

“Yeah, but what about the rain?”

“Oh yeah thass a bit of a fuckin’ pain in the ass, innit? But iss okay. It’s still worth it to see the stars, especially on nights when I can’t get to sleep.”

Noodle thought for a second, debating over the next few words.

“Well… maybe you could sleep with me in my room. You know… if your mind won’t let you rest or if it’s only causing you nightmares.” She mumbled the idea and moved her finger in a circular motion on his chest.

“But I thought-“

“I know. I know it’s stupid, but… but I hate not being with you and I don’t like it when you leave me after we’ve just screwed around. And I know you feel the same about not wanting to be left alone so why don’t we just say ‘fuck it’ and sleep together?”

Stuart paused and thought about spending the night with Noodle instead of spending it alone with the stars peaking through his ceiling. One clearly seemed like the better option.

“And if Murdoc can disappear for days at a time then why can’t you disappear between the hours of night and day, or why can’t I?”

Suddenly the thought of Murdoc rushed to Stuart’s brain. He wondered why his name stood out for some particular reason. Had he recently stolen something from him or locked him in a closet a while ago? There was something that Murdoc had done that really set 2D off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Yeah,” he finally said without thinking.

“So you’re willing to skip a few mornings and nights to disappear together?”

“What? Oh yeah, yes, of course. Of course I want to, love. I want to be able to hold you close while laying on the same mattress. You’re like my greatest high that I never want to come down from.”

Noodz smiled and leaned over to peck 2D’s cheek, careful not to press down too hard.

“Good,” she said happily.

“Yeah I was just thinking about how Murdoc found out about us and tried to get me to push you away. Ha, that ol’ bloke thought wrong, didn’ he.”

Noodle froze.

“What did you just say?”

“Nuffin’. Jus’ that Murdoc tried tellin’ me that you would never love me and that you were too good for me, but I sure proved him wrong,” he said with pride.

Noodle sat up now and looked at 2D.

“He did what?” She said as anger started to boil within her.

2D wondered why she still couldn’t hear him before realizing that he had just completely spilled his guts to Noodle about Murdoc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya boiiii I hope you enjoyed that chapter. It was a huge step out of my comfort zone as I usually try to avoid getting too specific during the sex scenes. Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment. Thanks!


	7. The Kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2D tries to convince Noodle to step back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a lot longer than I had planned. I was hoping to have a new chapter up last week, but I've been hella stressed with school. I've also set the last chapter as 10. I'll begin a new Gorillaz fic shortly after and I'll be creating an entirely different plot that is hopefully even further from the norm. Anyway, enjoy! Chapter song: "Move" by Viigo

Noodle was walking in circles around 2D’s room, rubbing her head and quietly talking to herself in Japanese.

“Noodle, I think you should take a seat, love. You’re going to make yourself dizzy,” said a concerned 2D.

She continued to mumble to herself.

“Noodz? Noodle? Are you all right?”

“What?” she said startled that someone else was in the room.

“I said are you all right?” he repeated.

“Me? All right? All right? Are you kidding me? The cause of _all_ of this is because of _him._ ” She motioned her hands frantically in a circle to express the chaos that Murdoc just so happened to cause. “I mean I don’t even know what to do. Wait, yes I do.”

2D watched as Noodle fixed herself before opening his door. He could tell she had something on her mind and was desperate to know what it was. When he couldn’t wait any longer, she finally spoke.

“I’m gonna kick his ass.”

Stuart’s eyes widened at this as he scurried out of bed to follow Noodle who was likely already in her room plotting her attack.

“Noodz, wait!” He rushed into her room to find her looking over a map while gathering weapons into a duffel bag. “Love, you’re not _really_ planning on beatin’ ‘im up are you?”

She looked up with a face of ‘ _Are you kidding? Of course I am.’_

“No, I won’t be beating him up.”

“Oh good. That’s great,” 2D said relieved. “Wait, then why you still packing a lot of scary, dangerous, sharp weapons into that sack?”

“Because,” she began. “I plan on going all kinds of Deadpool on his ass,” she said, throwing the bag over her shoulder.

2D started panicking once more as he rushed to jump in front of her, blocking the door.

“Noodle, Noodle, love. Look let’s all just take a breff and put the bag down and-“

“Toochie, I love you and you’re the only person I’m not currently pissed at right now, but I need you to move out of the way.”

“See, but I can’t really do that because if I do then I fink you’ll try to escape and kill that bastard and I won’t really be able to stop you because I’m afraid of what you might do to me so I can’t move.”

She sighed and smiled.

“Oh 2D, you wonderful, little soul. So sweet. You never want to hurt anybody… except that guy you punched… but otherwise you’d never hurt a fly.” The vocalist smiled back at Noodle’s coaxing voice while she brushed his cheek with her hand. “But that’s still not going to stop me from escaping.”

With a swift motion, she had been able to escape under 2D’s wing, leaving him confused and spinning around trying to catch her.

He grabbed her from behind while still attempting to get the duffel bag away from her.

“Toochie, what is _wrong_ with you?” she said frustrated, still struggling to squirm her way out of his hold.

“I’m sorry Noodle, I-I-I just can’t let you!” 2D at last snatched the bag and flung it across the hall. Noodle let out an angered roar and persisted to wiggle herself out of his clutches, which was quite difficult considering he could almost wrap his arms around her twice. She had finally managed to set herself free, but 2D put up a fight. He grabbed her legs and the two of them came toppling down. She tried crawling toward the duffel bag, but Stuart refused to let go.

“Why are you doing this? Don’t you want that son of a bitch to get what he deserves for once?”

“Yes but-“

“Then tell me why you’re fighting me!”

“Noodle I-I-I-I-“

“Tell me, damnit it!”

“Because I don’t want him to take you away!”

Noodle suddenly stopped to look down at 2D, who was breathing heavily and staring at the floor. All noise seemed to cease. A fly could drop a spec of dust and the guitarist would be able to hear it. The air in the room even seemed to change, maybe not the smell, but the texture—or maybe it was the temperature. No matter what, Noodle could feel a sudden change occur in the house. She even had a sense that all the pests and rodents stopped to peak out from their hiding spot, straining to get a look at who died or what could’ve possibly caused this sudden change. Ultimately, she felt out of body. After a short while of this unbearable silence, 2D spoke once more.

“You don’t know what it’s like… losing people all the time or-or being tossed in a suitcase and sent to the middle of the ocean or even gettin’ hit with a shoe or being forced to live wiff killer robots that look juss like the people you care about…” 2D fell silent for a moment as Noodle waited for him to continue. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I don’t want anyone to disappear or-or leave. I juss want everything to stay the same, even if it means he’s got ta stay in the same house, unharmed. I can’t- I can’t handle anything happening… especially to you.”

Noodle’s defense system had now been completely overridden.

“And I know everyone finks I’m just some dim bloke because maybe I am but I know when I don’ want anyone to get hurt or leave. And Murdoc… he may seem like he’s better now because he’s all distracted with the drinking and the sex torture stuff, but he’s still the same person. And he could still take you away, or me.”

“2D,” Noodle said as she lifted his chin.

He looked up at her with a begging face, pleading for her not to run away.

“You don’t have to worry about me. I leave on my own terms. Possibly when this band has rendered me completely deaf and I can no longer play guitar anymore,” she smiled.

He gave her a soft grin in return.

“But I do know what it’s like. Trust me, company of any kind is better than none at all, even if it means I’d have to share it with _him.”_

2D’s face fell, assuming she was still planning on leaving to go after Murdoc.

“So I won’t go.”

He glanced up again in shock.

“Really? You-you-you’re not juss saying that and then you’re going to run away as soon as I let go of you?”

“No, I’m not going to flee at the next chance I get,” she smirked.

“Thank fuck.”

“Yeah… but I do need to stand up because you’ve got a really strong grip for some inexplicable reason.”

“Oh sorry,” he said, releasing and leaving marks on her delicate skin.

“And you can also go ahead and grab my bag so that there’s no way I can bolt.”

2D smiled and pulled the heavy pack onto his shoulder.

He grunted, “You know I get the feelin’ you just didn’ want to carry this heavy bag of weapons anymore.”

“Yep.”

…

“I got it!”

“Oh thank goodness, love. You know, you’re a real angel.”

Noodle passed 2D a cold bottle to hold on his bruised eyebrow. She took a sip from her own.

“One for you and one for me, remember?” she mumbled.

Stuart smiled, remembering the time on the porch when Noodle burnt her hand and he helped by bringing out a cold beer for the both of them. 2D took a mouthful before returning the coolant back to his brow.

Noodle placed the bottle on her dresser and moved toward the duffel bag lying on the floor. She spilled all of its contents onto her bed. She fiddled with each weapon, cocking guns and then releasing the bullets onto the floor, pulling off the cases of blades, some large, some small, some of which she traced her finger across. All of this was fascinating to Stuart. He watched her handle each item of death with care, like it was a small animal. He was caught in a trance, stuck in the swift and careful movements of the girl in front of him.

“Meow!” A sudden noise pulled him out as 2D turned to look at the furry creature emerging from the shadows.

“Shit, you scared me Katsu.” The cat leaped onto the space next to the singer, rubbing her head on his knee until he gave her a scratch beneath her chin. Noodle caught sight of this and blushed until she was forced to turn around. When she finally turned back, Katsu had climbed onto 2D’s slouched back, causing him to raise his shoulders and freeze. Noodle laughed while his face reddened in embarrassment and he sat confused and somewhat terrified for his life.

“C’mon you little climber, get down, go.” She grabbed the cat and shooed it out of her room, which caused the thing to retreat into 2D’s.

“Thanks. You’re a real lifesaver. I thought I might actually die for a minute there. Thought maybe that cat would actually claw out my throat.” He paused. “Or eat my hair.”

Noodle grinned a mischievous smile and turned slowly back toward 2D.

“You know…” she started. “Cats _can_ be vicious, bloodthirsty animals, dangerous and sly, but they’re also very careful, very calm. They’re always calculating each step, each move, every little twitch of their nose.” Noodle’s voice had gotten very low and she had somehow slithered her way on top of 2D, forcing him to cower beneath her on his back.

“And even when you think you may have won them over, even when you think you’ve become the alpha…” She was closing in on his neck now, whispering into his ear. “You haven’t. Instead, you’ve just fallen right into its clutches, sinking deeper and deeper into its claws until—“ She took a soft bite out of his neck, causing his eyelids to flutter as his eight balls rolled to the back of his head. “You’re dead.”

_Oh sweet mother of-_

2D hurriedly grabbed onto Noodle’s waist and threw her onto her back, pinning her down and gawking at her playful expression. He tore off her clothes like a cat itself and immediately began falling into her, pushing hard to hear her irresistible whimper. He sucked on her shoulder until he was working his way up her neck towards her lips. When he finally reached her mouth, he gave her a sweet bite on her lower lip, causing her to let out a pleasurable moan.

He thought he had finally won, but admitted that he could never get her to feel the same amount of indescribable need that she had created within him for her.

When the pair had finally stopped fucking around, 2D turned to an unfinished slice of sheet music, jotting down new lyrics and complementary notes. The creativity flowed from him like a sweet river of tequila.

Noodle, on the other hand, was lost in a dream. She toyed with his blue hair, constructing short braids here and there, and secretly searching for that one strand that showed any signs of discoloration. Nada. You could search until there was no manana, but you would never find a single non-blue lock of hair.

“Have you ever thought about shaving?”

“Shavin’ what?” said 2D, who was still focused on the music in front of him.

“Your head, ding dong.”

“You sound like a doorbell, you know that?”

She let out a soft exhale from her nose, shaking her head at 2D’s constantly unique ways of thinking. Noodle climbed on top of his back so that her head was resting on the top of his. This, however, didn’t seem to bother the artist as he still continued to scribble across the page.

“Guess what.”

“Oh I’m not really a good guesser. If you got something tricky like that then iss best to take it up with Russ because he’s the smart one, after you that is. Then again, Murdoc _did_ create a real actual robot and he _has_ escaped from prison.” This finally seemed to cause Stuart to drop the work in front of him and reroute his train of thought to the matter at hand.

“Ugh… do not mention that name right now…” Noodle rolled off of 2D and presented herself with a foul expression.

“What? Russ? What’s so bad about—“

“You know who I’m talking about,” she said, triggered.

“Yeah I know… sorry ‘bout that. Guess it’s still a little too soon. Anyway, what did you want me to guess?”

She squinted at him, trying to figure out whether or not to take him seriously. She brushed off the feeling and fell back onto the bed like a distressed maiden.

“I was just going to say that I found out I’m going to be able to go to my very first Formula-E race!” 2D could feel the child-like excitement emanate from Noodle’s presence, but frankly had no clue what she was talking about.

“That’s so—what is that, I don’t ‘ave a clue what that is.”

“Oh my god,” she said ducking her head, trying to contain herself from bursting out with laughter. She thought to herself as to how she could explain it so that it would make sense to Stuart. “I swear sometimes it’s like you’re just on this cloud of unknowing… Okay! Anyway, do you remember that picture of me, the one you stole?” 2D racked his brain. “…you know, the one with the jaguar… and I’m,” she swallowed. “Riding on top of it.”

“Oh yeah! Oh… Yeah.” 2D quickly went from a prideful exclamation to a disappointing pain in his gut. He recalled the night he stupidly tore apart the picture, letting it fall into the black hole that was his floor. He could feel his chest clench slightly, but the sound of Noodle’s interrupting voice was just enough to pull him back.

“Well, as a part of that campaign, I get to go to a real life race with cars and racers and engineers! Ha! Isn’t that cool?” She motioned her hands in all different fashions, smiling all the while until she looked back at 2D. Her smile subsided. “2D?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, Noodz that’s so cool! You’re a lucky one, aren’t you,” he said, trying to sound excited for her.

She didn’t like the constant regret that 2D felt after the huge mess that they had both gone through. And frankly, she already knew the reason this time.

“You know that picture isn’t everything.”

2D looked up at Noodle, stunned that he could read her mind.

“How did you-“

“I saw it shredded up on your floor. I also saw a dead roach being eaten by ants—you know you should really clean your room or at least get a maid or something. My god.”

“Wait. Why didn’ you say anyfing?”

“Because it’s just a picture. What’s so great about a photograph when you’ve got the real thing right here?” She giggled, gesturing to herself.

Stuart smiled, letting out a short breath through his nose. He reached over to Noodle’s hand, and his thumb danced around it in circles. Noodle crawled over so that she was sitting in his lap. He was brushing her hair now, the same way she did for him.

“Would you be interested in some good ol’ fashioned horror flicks?” Noodle turned at this suggestion and raised a brow at 2D.

“You know it,” she replied, pecking the corner of his mouth and leaping up from the bed. “I’ll go get us some popcorn and the scariest film I can find. I bet you can’t even guess which one.” She slid out the door, but before she was gone, she peaked a part of her face out and said “Heeere’s Johnny!” then she twirled the door shut behind her.

Stupot sat in silence for a moment, letting a few seconds pass. Then after a bit of time he finally yelled out “The Shining!”

…

Noodle skipped downstairs until she reached the bottom. She hummed a youthful tune and closed her eyes, letting her heart flutter inside her. It would seem that she was overwhelmingly happy and couldn’t even contain it. And why shouldn’t she? She was about to enjoy a picture with her best friend, cuddled up all snug and warm.

She felt as though her whole world had turned into some heavenly bright pink open area where the clouds were made of candy and people floated to and from one spectacular setting to another. Her feet were bounding off the ground like that of a Pegasus, with wings that gave it that extra height. She thought she could hear music, Elvis Presley to be specific. The notes gained a life of their own and danced along with her, holding her hands and lifting her in the air. She felt like Marilyn Monroe, with the wind blowing up her imaginary skirt and cooling her blushing cheeks.

The music was like air filling her lungs, stuffing her with more and more joy until her brain couldn’t handle it and her heart had to take control. She stretched out her fingers to feel the tingling sensation of ribbon-like wonders slither around her. She thought she could almost taste lemon, cherry, sugar, the possible hint of pepper, and maybe even a bit of ocean bacon. It seemed like an odd mix, but it blended perfectly to create a sweet concoction.

“Fuck!”

Noodle’s dreamland suddenly disappeared around her. She opened her eyes and froze. Slowly, she continued moving toward the kitchen. When she finally reached the edge, she flicked on the lights. Standing in front of her was a drunken Murdoc, crouching on the floor and holding an arm up to block out the light.

“The bloody hell’s wrong with you, turning the sun on like that. Don’t you know a poor, hammered bastard when you see one? My god, it’s like no one thinks in this damn house.” He paused to stand and look at Noodle. “Well, well, well, look at what we’ve got here,” he said, slurring his words. “If it isn’t the lovely Miss Noodz. Why, I say what are you still doing up and lurking around, turning on lights and such?”

He finally shut his mouth to steady himself, getting a grip on the table. When he was able to stand without the aid of a counter or a chair, Noodle spoke up.

“You slimy son of a bitch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I LOVE feedback and I appreciate all the support I've been getting on this. Thanks a lot & drop a comment!


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